Noble House Grove Isle Hotel & Club Truths

Facts, news and commentary focusing on Noble House Hotels & Resorts, owners and operators of the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa and the Grove Isle Club in Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida.
We welcome your thoughts. Please post your comment.

NOBLE HOUSE LURES YOU:
"For our guests, this means arriving into a very distinctive setting. As a result, each property has its own character, yet maintains the consistent, high standards of the collection as a whole."

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

A Noble Case of Avarice

The truth must be told
and the wrongdoers exposed.

Left-click image to enlarge and read.

The FACTS of what Noble House Hotels & Resorts — owners and operators of the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa and the Grove Isle Club — did and continue to do with malice and forethought in efforts to hide their loathsome greed, disrespect for the law, and abuse of Grove Isle Club members, guests, Baleen patrons, and others are detailed in a white paper titled Noble House Hotels & Resorts: Grove Isle Hotel & Spa and Grove Isle Club Truths available at http://www.grandlifestyle.com/ and at this Weblog where you also have the opportunity to offer your comments (you may do so with your name or anonymously).

Upon carefully reviewing the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists (I became a member in 1995), I decided to publish the white paper and also present the truth at this blog

The Noble House people attempted to stop me from speaking out and sharing the truth with all of you, but they did not count on the support of friends.
Let us focus on the truth and set the record straight on why and how Noble House Hotels & Resorts, owners and operators of the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa and the Grove Isle Club (‘Noble House”)
excommunicated
Heinz Dinter, PhD
305-859-9695

Would you also like to read A White Paper?
There's also a letter titled ... and Justice for All.
They're in PDF format and make for easy printing

■■■■■
Please contact the following for additional information:

Michael D. Allen, General Manager
mallen@groveisle.com ■ 305-860-4350
Cliff Brutus, Director of Sales & Marketing
cbrutus@groveisle.com ■ 305-860-4352
James P. Colee, President of Development
Patrick R. Colee, Chairman
John Donoghue, Chief Executive Officer
Bob Foster, President
Jaz Jeanne, Director of Great People
Liz Martinez, Director of Membership
lmartinez@groveisle.com ■ 305-860-4319
Joyce Miles, Restaurant Manager, Baleen
jmiles@groveisle.com ■ 305-860-4305
Al Petrone, Chief Marketing Officer
Norm Schellenger, Director of Tennis
Scott R. Vokey, Vice President & General Counsel
Thomas Wright, General Manager, Baleen
twright@groveisle.com ■ 305-860-4386
■■■■■
War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things;
the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse.
A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself
.
John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)
English philosopher and economist

INTERESTED IN MORE ISSUES
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Monday, November 07, 2005

How Noble House Hotels & Resorts Conducts Business

Let me tell you how Noble House hospitality works. They will pamper you with false words of achievement and capability; sweep bad service under the rug; and go hot and heavy after those who do not close their eyes and share the truth with others.

As you may already have learned, Dr. Heinz Dinter (HDinter@GrandLifestyle.com; 305-859-9695), a member of the Grove Isle Club since March 1998, has been given the following notice by Mr. Michael D. Allen, general manager of the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa and the Grove Isle Club, Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida:

Grove Isle hereby notifies Dinter that any privileges held by Dinter to use any facilities associated with Grove Isle Hotel & Spa or the Grove Isle Club, to the extent the same existed in any fashion, including as a member of the general public, a guest, or a guest of a guest of the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, a member of the Grove Isle Club, or a guest of a member or a visitor of the Grove Isle Club, have been terminated. For clarity related to the foregoing sentence, Grove Isle notifies Dinter that he shall not use, nor attempt to use, any facilities associated with Grove Isle Hotel & Spa or the Grove Isle Club including without limitation the tennis courts, pro shops, pool, spa, and food and beverage outlets, but the foregoing shall not and is not meant to restrict Dinter from visiting or attending events at the Grove Isle condominium residences. In addition, Dinter and Grove Isle agree that Dinter previously has been notified that any attempt by Dinter to utilize the facilities of Grove Isle Hotel & Spa or the Grove Isle Club, shall be met with words to the following effect:

You are hereby notified that this establishment no longer desires to entertain you as its guest, and you are requested to leave at once. To remain after receipt of this notice is a misdemeanor under the laws of this state.

This notice and termination was delivered to Dinter and is reiterated here under the authority of Title XXXIII, Chapter 509, including without limitation, sections 509.092, 509.141 and 509.142 of Florida Statutes which concerns Lodging and Food Service Establishments and pursuant to the Rules and Regulations of the Grove Isle Club, including without limitation Article XIII, section E in regard to Termination of Guest and Visitor Privileges.

What Mr. Allen failed to disclose, and thereby misapplied the Florida Statutes, is the language of the Florida Statute cited, to wit:

509.142 Conduct on premises; refusal of service.—The operator of a public lodging establishment or public food service establishment may refuse accommodations or service to any person whose conduct on the premises of the establishment displays intoxication, profanity, lewdness, or brawling; who indulges in language or conduct such as to disturb the peace or comfort of other guests; who engages in illegal or disorderly conduct; who illegally possesses or deal in controlled substances as defined in chapter 893; or whose conduct constitutes a nuisance. Such refusal may not be based upon race, creed, color, sex, physical disability, or national origin.

Mr. Allen used the Florida Statutes as a vehicle for declaring Dr. Dinter an “undesirable guest” and threatens him with prosecution as a law breaker.

Why, we ask, did Dr. Dinter become persona non grata after so many years of dedicated service to and support of the Grove Isle Hotel, the Grove Isle Club, and the Baleen restaurant?

The attack upon Heinz began shortly after his July 25, 2005 email report to Mr. Allen describing the luncheon experience at the Palapa bar of the Baleen restaurant. Instead of receiving a “thank you” call or note for bringing the experience of the four club members to his attention, the Grove Isle general manager responded with the following email notice: “At this point your privileges of using The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa have been suspended.”

What is behind the persecution of Heinz Dinter? Has he committed unlawful acts that make him undesirable? Does publishing the truth constitute an unlawful act?

Frankly, Noble House has something to hide — something big. The rest is, as they say, history.




The Issue of Obligatory Membership
in the Grove Isle Club

As you know corporations as well as individuals own Grove Isle condo units and are required to pay the annual membership dues for membership in the Grove Isle Club. To deny an individual owner or officer of a corporation owning a Grove Isle condo unit membership in the Grove Isle Club will require the reimbursement of dues paid and the waiving of such dues in the future.

Dr. Dinter is prepared to accept appointment as an officer of corporations owning a Grove Isle condo unit. You can reach him at HDinter@GrandLifestyle.com or 305-859-9695.
You will not incur any expenses and all of your rights, including that of ownership, will be protected.




What are the Benefits
of Grove Isle Club Membership?

Accounting for Profit:
Annual membership fees (the overwhelming majority are mandatory): short of $2 million in round numbers.
Annual operating costs (the overwhelming majority is tennis): $500,000 in round numbers (that's generous).
Profit (skimping on upkeep and services): You do the arithmetic.
That's a windfall of in excess of $22 million over the past 15 years.

Membership Benefits:
Members receive a 25% discount at the Baleen restaurant and the bars — partially negated by the obligatory 18% gratuity computed on the before-discount prices, resulting in an effective gratuity of 24% (that, for one, “justifies” paying lower wages to the serving staff assumed to be legal and thusly protected by our labor laws).
There's one other significant membership benefit: About twice a year the club throws a party for the members where the flimsiest hors d'oeuvres are served in limited quantities and the house wine seems to be rationed.
They also have free use of the tennis courts, except for the fee that must be paid for refreshments when a tennis round robin is scheduled.
Apropos Baleen, few members visit the restaurant because the service is oftentimes miserable and the prices are steep, especially in comparison with the quality of service.
In all fairness, however, the on-island members enjoy the benefit of not having to be bused from the nearby Mercy Hospital parking garage when large dinner parties in evening attire or business groups cannot be accommodated in the limited number of parking spaces on the island even though Baleen chains off condo parking spaces.
Apropos Spa Terre, few members use the spa services because the prices are too steep.
Apropos the tennis courts, they are in miserable condition, even dangerous, because, when it comes to upkeep, only the basics are paid for. By the way, only a small percentage of the condo unit owners are tennis players.
Aren’t you puzzled? How did Grove Isle Club manage to raise membership dues over the years? Did the majority of the condo association members vote in favor of raising membership dues?

Many more details have been published about how Noble House “serves” the members of the Grove Isle Club, even breaks the law, and how Michael Allen, whose word is not his bond, manages by deception, and why the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, and Baleen restaurant will continue to be the target of shunning.




What Happenened?
A Chronology in the Words of Heinz Dinter,
the Excommunicated Grove Isle Club Member
(As previously published)

I am sharing with you my experiences because you have a right to know and should know what has happened to me — and more importantly — how the Noble House management of the Grove Isle Club in Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida could have a most significant impact on you.

March 18, 1998: I apply and become a member of Grove Isle Club in Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida.
April 2000: I offer to publish newsletters and prepare flyers for the Club and the Grove Isle Hotel intent on promoting their business. The offer is accepted and the premiere issues of Grove Isle Enchantment (this is the newsletter serving the hotel, Baleen restaurant and the club) and FORTY LOVE (this is the newsletter serving the tennis community) are published.
February 2003: I announce in the February FORTY LOVE issue the termination of my newsletter publishing services. It is economically not justifiable to continue the newsletters. The announcement prompts a petition drive by club members whereupon general manager Ron Burleson invites me to meet with him.
March 6, 2003: We reach an agreement for the continuation of the newsletter and payment for my services.
April 2003: FORTY LOVE resumes publication.
June 27, 2005: I create a flyer promoting Grove Isle Hotel’s Independence Day Barbecue, leave copies for posting and distribution at the tennis pro shop, and distribute the flyer via email.
June 28, 2005: Denyse Hall, Director of Membership, telephones me and instructs me to remove the general manager’s name from my email list. Of course, I decline; email protocol does not allow such demands from third parties. The Independence Day flyer that riled the GM is posted at the FORTY LOVE site. The GM, Michael D. Allen, just a few days earlier, had assumed his duties at the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa.

Not having had any of my calls to the membership office returned in nearly a year to straighten out the accounting mess (I'm not the only member who's haunted by accounting turmoil), I grab the opportunity to insist on a face-to-face meeting with Ms. Hall.

June 29, 2005: At the meeting, I present detailed documentation of my claim to Ms. Hall and she promises to resolve this matter without any further delay.
July 14, 2005: In response to my inquiry re the progress of resolving the issue, Ms. Hall replies, “I have yet to meet with the general manager.”
July 25, 2005: In an email to the GM and the Director of Food & Beverage Operations, I detail the horrific experience triggered by pathetic service three other club members and I suffered visiting the Palapa bar of Baleen restaurant for lunch. It was a unanimous decision: We decided to do so for the specific purpose of assisting Grove Isle’s management in their long-running efforts to improve services.
July 27, 2005: One month passes and, upon my inquiry, I am informed by Ms. Hall she had not yet been able to confer with the general manager. Therefore, I submit another set of the 18-page documentation to the general manager accompanied by the following letter:
Dear Mr. Allen:
Four weeks ago, on June 29, 2005, I furnished Ms. Denyse Hall, Director of Membership, documentation reflecting the agreement between Grove Isle Club and me, and the account ledger I maintain containing a recapitulation that identifies discrepancies and errors which continue to be reflected in Grove Isle’s account ledger though I communicated these discrepancies on more than one occasion to the club’s staff and offered to cooperate in efforts to set the record straight.
Please find attached the 17-page documentation including the cover letter to Ms. Hall dated June 29, 2005; four pages of subsequent communications; and a copy of the July newsletter.
My last such effort to communicate with the club’s staff took place on December 8, 2004: I telephoned the membership office and left word. My call was not returned.
At my face-to-face meeting with Ms. Hall on June 29 I also shared with her documentation relating to my services rendered to the Grove Isle Club: copies of newsletters and flyers I prepared and disseminated during the past six-plus years.
I was elated to learn that Ms. Hall is taking vigorous steps to bring all accounting up to date and assure commensurable services from all departments. Though we have been eagerly awaiting positive action for some time, I looked forward to her resolving all matters without further delay, continued to offer my cooperation, and promised to promptly answer any questions regarding my account and my services to the club.
I have been very patient and understanding during my tenure as a member since March 1998 and having dealt with seven general managers.
Despite the poor communication, I continued rendering my services though in March of 2004 I suffered the most embarrassing slap at the hands of the Baleen staff when I was denied the privilege of charging to my account because, I was advised, my charging privileges were suspended (again!) and I would have to see the membership director (this happened on a Friday evening!). That, Mr. Allen, broke the camel’s back — it prompted me to shun Baleen, continue to maintain detailed records, and hoped a general manager would arrive who deals with business matters in a professional manner.
Please, Mr. Allen, let us honor our agreement.
If you wish to terminate our agreement, please let me know. I will even be amenable to waiving the 60-days notice in the spirit of an amicable relationship.
However, I cannot continue rendering my services and continue facing mute club responses coupled with being denied commensurate consideration, and facing embarrassment at the hands of the Grove Isle staff. That simply is neither fair nor equitable.
Mr. Allen, I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely yours, Heinz Dinter, PhD
August 16, 2005: I send both an email and letter to Michael Allen.
Dear Mr. Allen:
Having been patient for so long, permit me to bring to your attention the following, focusing solely on the most recent efforts:
1. On June 29, 2005, I met with Ms. Denyse Hall, Director of Membership of The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, and was promised a resolution of the long-outstanding matter of my relationship with the club (please see my letter of the same date with attachments).
2. On July 13, I emailed Ms. Hall and requested a response and resolution of this matter.
3. On July 14, Ms. Hall responded via email and advised me this matter will be attended to.
4. On July 27, I addressed a letter to you requesting a response to my previous communications.
Please, Mr. Allen, let us resolve this matter by your advising me that my account ledger (please see attached) correctly reflects my account balance and you will instruct the Director of Membership accordingly, or by bringing any inaccuracies to my attention without further delay.
Please understand, I must forthwith curtail my services to the club until this matter is resolved.
Perhaps you would be interested in engaging me to assist bringing this 7-plus-year management effort to a laudable and successful pinnacle once the outstanding issues have been resolved. I would gladly accept management assistance assignments, including dealing with turn-around situations. You will find a short bio and my curriculum vitae at http://www.grandlifestyle.com/.
Sincerely yours, Heinz Dinter, PhD
August 18, 2005: Denyse Hall resigns giving one-day notice. [During the month of August, Mr. Allen’s second month on the job as general manager, three more key managers resigned: Baleen’s chef, the sous-chef, and the spa’s director.]
August 20, 2005: In an email, the GM, votary of good hospitality management, apologizes for the extensive delay and states, “I was under the impression that my membership director Denyse Hall was working with you on this matter and giving you updates on the resolution.” He promises positive action and resolution within five days. He also adds, “We want to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.”
August 31, 2005 Wednesday 12:32 pm: I send an email to Michael Allen.
Good afternoon, Michael.
I am disappointed and truly sorry Grove Isle Club apparently continues in its trodden path.
For years I have pitched in trying to make Grove Isle tennis and other club activities a success. And for so long a time I have been patient for Grove Isle to honor its end of the deal. I rendered valuable services and will not permit Grove Isle to dodge its payment obligation.
Are we experiencing the permanence to the evanescent thought that commitments and promises will not be fulfilled and payment obligations for services rendered will not be honored?
Please, Michael, let us bring our accounting up-to-date according to my email of August 27 to you; I do not wish to do now that which is long overdue.
On August 20 you advised me that "I was under the impression that my membership director Denyse Hall was working with you on this matter and giving you updates on the resolution." What updates? Denyse's message of July 14 advised, "I have yet to meet with the general manager …" Shall I render a fact-confirming interpretation?
I want to be on the side of my friends who seek solace on Fair Isle and enjoyment from Grove Isle's promised five-star service at "this world-renown retreat" surrounded by the waters of Biscayne Bay. Where will we go from here? You are at the helm as the new general manager. I know of no one who won't support genuine management focus. Go forward and we will be behind you.
Let me quote and stand by Harry Truman's words: "The buck stops here." I hasten to add, it's not personal, not aimed at you personally. It's simply an expression of my being tired of being jerked around by Grove Isle's management. Basta!
Michael, I do wish my message could be less focused on problem resolution and more positive on extolling the virtues of club life.
Sincerely, Heinz
August 31, 2005 Wednesday 2:30 pm: I receive an email from Michael Allen.
Dear Mr. Dinter,
Please be advised that at this point we have passed your information over to our Senior Attorney with Noble House Hotels & Resorts. Mr. Scott Vokey will be reviewing your information and working with me on a resolution. Should you have an attorney or other party besides yourself we need to contact, please email me that information.
At this point your privileges of using The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa have been suspended.
Kindly, Michael D. Allen
[Mr. Allen, what happened to your apology and promise of August 20 stating “… will call you by Thursday of this week. We want to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.” (That Thursday was August 25.) Instead, you resort to the tactic of hinting legal action, contrary to your demeanor in previous communications. Do I smell a bush-whack? I welcome your taking legal action because discovery proceedings under the umbrella of the court’s authority will shed a clearer light on the truth.
If your management style calls for bullying your subordinates, that's your privilege. If you think scaring me with a lawsuit makes me quiver, you will only achieve one thing — revelation of the truth as to what those Noble House calls on for supplies and services can expect.
One more point: Grove Isle is indebted to me. If your action is driven by malice and forethought and designed to cheat me — shame on you. I shall seek to protect and affirm my rights in the appropriate jurisdiction.]
August 31, 2005 Wednesday 5:04 pm: I send an email to my subscriber list.
I just wanted to let you know that the FORTY LOVE™ newsletter I have been publishing for the past several years will no longer reach the members and friends of Grove Isle Club.
A Blog focusing on relevant issues will provide you with more details and will give you the opportunity to share your thoughts and information. I will let you know as soon as the Blog is available on the Internet.
In the meantime, if you wish to contact me with questions, thoughts and information, please call me at 305-859-9695, email hdinter@grandlifestyle.com, or fax 305-859-9695.
Sincerely, Heinz
[The newsletters Grove Isle Enchantment and Tennis FORTY LOVE, created and published by me, premiered in April 2000.]

Is it not hilarious, tragic and typical of Noble House business practice? In an email to Michael Allen, I remind him of his promise and point out inconsistencies in the representations made by Ms. Hall on July 14 and by him on August 20. He responds less than two hours later, threatens me with legal action and summarily kicks me out of the club without ever communicating with me to resolve the issues at hand. The GM never asked me a single question about my claim in order to give him an understanding about what happened during the tenure of the six general managers preceding him during the past seven years. He applies his hospitality management power as agent of Noble House and spontaneously makes a business decision devoid of any justification, let alone justification based on facts. At this moment, he had no facts in hand. Therefore, I shared my experience with others by publishing it.

■■■■■
He who steals my purse steals trash …
but he that filches from me my good name,
robs me of that which makes me poor indeed.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
English dramatist and poet — Othello, Act III, Scene 3
■■■■■

August 31, 2005: The final issue of FORTY LOVE featuring tennis at the Grove Isle Club is published with the following farewell message.
Adieu, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen
'Twas five-plus years ago when Gary King and the Dream entertained at Grove Isle and Mariette Fisher gave her stunning commentary and video highlights of Swan Lake, the world's best-loved ballet. I helped with the flyers. And many more announcements followed letting you know what was happening at Grove Isle, including the first-Tuesday-of-the-month mixed doubles round robins spiced with “bring a dish — share tasty tidbits with your friends.”
You will recall the tasty “Indonesian Delights” prepared by Hetty van de Kreeke, “La Comida Cubana Deliciosa” served by Grace Korse, and the many sumptuous dishes volunteered by so many members who came to enjoy tennis and camaraderie. We also filled the house with an invitation to taste Wagga Wagga Witchetty Grub and Kulnura Kangaroo from Down Under.
Much information and news to be shared gave birth to this newsletter. Grove Isle Enchantment and FORTY LOVE made their debut in April 2000.
Within its pages — in print and on the Internet — we kept you informed about tennis events, helped organize memorable tournaments (the Royal Palm Tennis Club visit comes to mind), and reported with words and loads of photos the many tennis activities at Grove Isle Club.
Grove Isle management manages differently. Therefore, the time has come to bid adieu, farewell, and say auf Wiedersehen. Adios, amigos.
Thank you for having been gracious readers and supportive tennis friends.
September 3, 2005: I receive an email from Scott R. Vokey, Vice President & General Counsel of Noble House Hotels & Resorts (svokey@noblehousehotels.com; 425-827-8737) inviting me to meet with him and Mr. Allen. I accepted and the meeting was scheduled for September 20 at Grove Isle.
Not having heard from either with hurricane Rita aiming for Miami, I emailed at 3:19 pm on September 19 requesting to be informed of their intention. It was not until 6:15 pm in the evening of September 19 when Mr. Allen's email advised me Mr. Vokey had returned to Seattle because of hurricane Rita. I responded by suggesting a telephone conference on September 26. That was accepted and the conference took place.
September 26, 2005: The telephone conference with Messrs. Vokey and Allen.
What a surprise! After all the work of putting together the records documenting my case in detail, correcting the club's accounting, and giving copies to the membership director (I did so in the presence of Norm Schellenger, the tennis director) and, when the membership director left, giving a duplicate copy to Michael Allen (Norm delivered it to him), Allen denied having received anything; he also denied having found anything in the membership director's office. Isn't it doubtful that a departing employee would abscond with all of the employer's records or commit all records to the shredder?

I also hand-delivered a box filled with many copies of the work I have carried out for the club during the past 5½ years, clearly addressed to Scott Vokey and Michael Allen with a cover letter stating I delivered only one set and, hence, for Mr. Allen to also pass it on to Mr. Vokey. Mr. Allen stated he did not look at the contents of the box claiming it was not addressed to him. Lo and behold, I also had sent the contents of the cover letter via email to the two Noble House executives; therefore, Mr. Allen knew who this box was for and what it contained. ["Liar, liar, pants on fire," as Judge Judy would exclaim.]

How should one classify Michael Allen's management acumen: puerile or sinister?

Obviously, the Noble House executives claiming they had not seen any of the records I produced, rendered the 56-minute telephone session completely unproductive — what a waste of time. I was being stone-walled. Welcome to the world of Noble House business ethics. How noble!

After the meeting I faxed the 19-page documentation to Mr. Vokey who would then pass it on to Mr. Allen (Mr. Vokey receives faxes in the form of a PDF file).

These two seasoned businessmen even had the audacity to inform me that I have benefited from club membership valued at $4,500 per year. Do they think I'm a nincompoop?

Mr. Vokey promised that this entire matter would be resolved not later than Friday, September 30. As the clock struck midnight on that day, I had not heard from anyone. In an abundance of caution, I conclude again to have been the victim of the Noble House scheme of dealing so nobly with customers and suppliers. Are these noble people trying to cheat me too?

Then follow rapid-fire exchanges of numerous emails in which “stalling” is the major theme and jerking me around ad infinitum is their strategy to subdue me. "NUTS!" as Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe responded when called upon to surrender. Let me concentrate on the last four that preoccupied Mr. Vokey on a sunny Sunday. Indeed, it's a vivid and revealing example of what one who has dealings, business or otherwise, with Noble House can expect.

October 2, 2005, Sunday, 9:25 am: My email to Messrs. Vokey and Allen.
Sorry, extending the "deadline" is now out of the question; I have seen so many deadlines come and go. Count the number of deadliness alone during Michael's short tenure.
The records I submitted to Grove Isle — though that should not have been necessary; Grove Isle Club has filing cabinets too — could have been scrutinized three (!) months ago.
In an abundance of caution, I have concluded that I have been and continue to be the target of bad-faith dealings. It began with Michael Allen's reprehensible actions on August 31.
As to information exchange, the discovery stage [in a lawsuit] is specifically earmarked for that.
As to my journalism, I suggest you compare with Miami New Times, The Miami Herald, Miami Today, The Business Journal, Hospitality Technology, The Wall Street Journal — to name a few. [In a previous email, Mr. Vokey questioned my “journalism.”]
N.B.: Yet another deadline is out of the question and is now categorically rejected.
I have rendered services to Noble House and presented my accounting again three months ago which as of today stands as follows: I am owed $8,378.77 for services rendered and my Grove Isle Club membership is paid in full through January 31, 2006 and is in good standing.
Please call me at 305-859-9695 if you wish. I am available even after-hours.
October 2, 2005, Sunday, 10:27 am: Mr. Vokey's email.
He shares his thoughts re my publishing endeavors: "It is not remotely journalism, nor remotely intellectually honest."
Legal beagle Scott R. Vokey then goes on listing what I face: "... you may not have local and state business permits and licenses"; "... you may not have paid local, state and federal taxes"; and also adds "homeland security/INS" to the list of agencies. Am I now a terrorist or, as a minimum, an illegal alien who must be deported?
October 2, 2005, Sunday, 1:03 pm. Mr. Vokey’s email.
You are not a target of bad faith.
Hereafter, since you have made a claim against Grove Isle, you are instructed to have no further contact with anyone associated with Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, including the club, except me. If you retain legal counsel, have them contact me directly and no one else. I hope this instruction is clear.
You are also reminded you are no longer a member of the club, those privileges having been revoked previously.
Further, because you are no longer a member of the club and have made a claim against the hotel/club and for other reasons, you are no longer welcome at Grove Isle Hotel & Spa and you may no longer use any facilities associated with the same, including tennis courts, the spa, the restaurant, bars, lounges and pool.
October 2, 2005, Sunday, 8:11 pm: My email to Messrs. Vokey and Allen.In response to your email of October 2, 2005 at 1:03 pm, in which I am "instructed to have no further contact with anyone associated with Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, including the club, except me," I hereby respond as follows.
In an abundance of caution, I suggest you consult the documents of the Grove Isle Condominium Association, Inc., including but not necessarily limited to the "Declaration of Condominium of the Grove Isle Condominium Association."
I may not necessarily wish to patronize the Baleen restaurant or Spa Terre as Grove Isle Club members, their families, and their guests are entitled to. However, please be advised that I shall plan to play tennis at the club, join friends at the bar afterwards for refreshments, and would not want to cause your staff to be placed in an embarrassing situation should they attempt to deny me access to the facilities and service, or worse, cause a legal confrontation with major consequences for Grove Isle Club and Noble House.
As a courtesy respecting your wishes, I will gladly limit my personal contact at the club with you if you will be "on property" to render the appropriate services Grove Isle Club is required and expected to render club members, their families, and guests.
I would like to avoid having to call the police and, armed with a police report and the necessary documentation, seek the appropriate order from a judge.
PS: I will call on you for a towel and, if there's no water on the court, I'll ask you. Also, I like my martini stirred, not shaken, should I order one at the Palapa bar after tennis.

What are my options now? One is to "Sue the Bastards" as the sign on a lawyer friend's desk proclaims. First and foremost, let us document the facts of the case — and let the truth be told.




■■■■■
Laws are like cobwebs which may catch small flies,
but let wasps and hornets break through.
Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
Irish author and journalist
■■■■■

October 12, 2005: A letter signed by the general manager and the general counsel of Noble House states as follows: “As you know, you have a claim against Grove Isle Club for payment of monies for services you provided to the Grove Isle Club, principally production of newsletters, flyers and similar communication pieces. As we have indicated to you, we have researched your claim and have gone back to former employees as well as records to unearth the facts of your business relationship with Grove Isle.”

Thereupon they finally agreed to pay the full amount of what I am still being owed for the services I rendered during the period August 2003 through July 2005.

However, they add demands and conditions to the payment.
Noble House demands I remove from my website and blog all materials documenting my experience as a member of Grove Isle Club and particularly the truth of what has been happening since June 2005 and demands that I agree not to publish any more about Noble House’s business and their employees, officers, directors, etc.

When I lived under the clutches of a totalitarian regime (communist East Germany), those holding absolute power didn’t bother forcing their subjects to sign an agreement to submit to their dictatorial ruthlessness. You submitted or else (they had Gulags, you know). Does that make the difference between brutal dictatorship and us who respect the First Amendment to the United States Constitution? Perhaps the rulers of Grove Isle consider the island autonomous territory with the unalienable might to drive profit margins upward at the expense of those who suffer from the lack of service.

Noble House demands that I agree not to set foot on any of their properties at any time as a member of the general public, a guest, or a guest of a guest of the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, a member of the Grove Isle Club, or a guest of a member or a visitor of the Grove Isle Club.

October 17, 2005: At long last, we reach an agreement:
Noble House agrees to pay me all monies owed, but in installments over a period of 2½ months.
I agree to remove from my website and blog any postings “making reference to or using the intellectual property” of Noble House, etc., and not post and publish more pertaining to Noble House, etc. for three years. All my publishing regarding FORTY LOVE is exempted.
I “shall not contact and shall not request comment or response from Grove Isle, Noble House, their officers, owners, employees or members in regard to the operation of Grove Isle or any other facility owned or operated by Noble House” for a period of 3 years.
My expulsion from the Grove Isle Club by Noble House stands.
I am cited the Florida Statutes: “You are hereby notified that this establishment no longer desires to entertain you as its guest, and you are requested to leave at once. To remain after receipt of this notice is a misdemeanor under the laws of this state.”
Unfortunately (for Noble House), this notice is cited out of context because it applies to “any guest of the establishment who, while on the premises of the establishment, illegally possesses or deals in controlled substances as defined in chapter 893 or is intoxicated, profane, lewd, or brawling; who indulges in any language or conduct which disturbs the peace and comfort of other guests or which injures the reputation, dignity, or standing of the establishment.”

I wonder if the Florida Statutes Annotated give evidence of the above being upheld in a court of law, i.e., there are cases where a judge(s) upheld the statute as it is written and being applied by Noble House.

Do I match the criteria for expulsion from the Noble House premises as Noble House management attempts to make all believe? It is hospitality management at its very best, is it not?

Was I the subject of a unique and ingenuous quest by a receiver of goods and services to dodge paying for goods and services received? Low inventories in the pro shop could be a sign of such hospitality management practices. Is this the type of management practices being taught in hospitality management courses at duly accredited schools of hospitality management?

Or was I punished and kicked out because I published the truth?

October 18, 2005: Epilogue. The courier arrives shortly past 1:00 pm with the agreement and partial payment. Attached to the envelope is a Post-it note stating: IN BLUE "original your signature" Return to Michael Allen. Lo and behold, the agreement copy delivered to me does not hold the GM's signature in blue; I'm handed an agreement produced on a copying machine. I signed in blue using the pen the courier brought along. That's the second time I signed the agreement in blue. Earlier in the morning, I was instructed to entrust Uncle Sam's Postal Service with the agreement that bears my signature in blue. Immediately following the non-compliant, one-sided agreement exchange, I sent an email to the GM: Michael, the agreement you delivered today does not bear your original signature. Please sign a copy in blue and mail it to me. I did so for you. Thank you. Heinz. I'm still waiting.

Here’s the bottom line:
Noble House attempted feverishly, using ingenuous techniques, to dodge paying what they owe.
Noble House kicked me out of the club as one way to deny me what I am owed. (Please recall, my banishment was executed before I reached for the pen.)
I fought back and exposed their modus operandi by publishing details of their business practices.
Noble House finally agreed to pay their debt. Will they keep their word? The final payment owed me for services rendered during the period August 2003 through July 2005 to come my way is on or before December 31, 2005.
Putting it mildly, Noble House’s way of doing business is aberrant. In an abundance of caution I wonder, is it classical hospitality management in action?




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He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more;
but he who loses his courage loses all.
Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616)
Spanish novelist, playwright and poet
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The First Amendment
to the United States Constitution:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.




Postscript to the Saga of Grove Isle Club Membership

Here’s yet another twist so typical of member services at the Grove Isle Club.

The excommunicated Grove Isle Club member, Heinz Dinter, found another account statement in his mailbox; it is dated November 1, 2005 and postmarket November 5 (Happy Birthday, Heinz!). It still shows the incorrect charges though — following the nasty battle resulting in his banishment from Grove Isle — the account was settled and General Manager Michael D. Allen certified in writing on October 17, 2005 that the account is settled and payment was made to the once loyal and dedicated club member for what Grove Isle Club owed the former club member who dared to challenge the nonfeasance, malfeasance and misfeasance of Noble House and Grove Isle management. The act of excommunication was carried out by Mr. Allen on August 31, 2005.

P.S.: The bottom of the statement proclaims A NOBLE HOUSE HIDEAWAY. Indeed, they are into hiding as a business practice.

P.P.S.: Frustrated Grove Isle Club members call themselves Gross Isle Club members. That’s how bad it is. And Heinz paid the ultimate price for speaking up and not toeing the party line




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Time's glory is to calm contending kings,
To unmask falsehoods, and bring truth to light.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
English dramatist and poet
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A News Release Under Scrutiny



A news release issued by the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa and published by the hospitality industry media

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Noble House Hotels & Resorts Appoints Michael D. Allen to General Manager of the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa

COCONUT GROVE, FL (July 27, 2005) — Noble House Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Michael D. Allen to general manager of The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, the luxury boutique hotel on Biscayne Bay, set in the heart of Coconut Grove. In his new position, Mr. Allen will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management and operations at the 49-room property, inclusive of its restaurant, spa and club.

Mr. Allen has held executive level positions within the hospitality industry for more than 20 years. Most recently, he served as the general manager of Nantucket Island Resorts [Emphasis added.] in Nantucket, Massachusetts. While there, Mr. Allen oversaw four boutique resorts as well as their residential rental home components, including The White Elephant, Harbor House Village, The Wharf Cottages and the Harbor View Inn. Prior to that, Mr. Allen held various operational roles within Interstate Hotels Corporation and the Marriott Corporation. Additionally, he has experience working with private club memberships at the Sawgrass Resort.

“Michael’s vast experience in and knowledge of the boutique and luxury resort experience is of great benefit to The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa,” said Marc Pujalet, president of Noble House Hotels & Resorts. “Michael and his team will ensure an extraordinary guest experience, while continuing to position the property as one of the premier boutique hotel destinations in South Florida,” added Pujalet.

Mr. Allen holds a B.S. in business from the University of Massachusetts and has an A.A.S. in travel and tourism administration from Adirondack Community College.

[The above was reported in the hospitality industry press and by The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration.]

Clarifying Notes:

Sources at the Nantucket Island Resorts confirmed Mr. Allen left Nantucket Island Resorts in May 2001.

As reported by http://www.ehotelier.com/ and http://www.hotel-online.com/: “Khaled Hashem is the new Managing Director of Nantucket Island Resorts, taking over from Michael Ducamp, who has left the company. Hashem had been the General Manager and Director of Operations for the group since September 2004.”

Sources at the Sawgrass Resort confirmed: “We have no record Mr. Allen has worked here in recent years."

Sources at Noble House & Resorts confirmed: Marc Pujalet left the company some months ago. Bob Foster is the president.

CONCLUSION:

The evidence is overwhelming and irrefutable:
Michael D. Allen categorically refuses to let the guests and employees of the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, the members of the Grove Isle Club, the general public, his colleagues in the hospitality industry, and the members of the media know where he was employed from May 2001 until July 2005.

Mr. Vokey spills lots of ink (actually, they are keystrokes turning loose “explanatory” email messages) beating around the bushes re Mr. Allen’s employment history and attacking Heinz Dinter with malicious and false messages re Grove Isle’s new general manager for the sole and express purposes of maligning the excommunicated Grove Isle Club member and hiding the truth.
Mr. Vokey, why don’t you just simply tell the world where Michael D. Allen was employed during those four-plus years just prior to being hired by Noble House. The world is entitled to know because the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa is eager to play host to and serve the world. Please, let us be honest — your guests and club members deserve it.

Let us not forget Noble House’s track record of filling the post of general manager and club director at Grove Isle during the past 7 years:
Ed Woodson (1998-2000)
Jean Marc Jalbert (2000-2001)
Lloud Van Horn (2001-2002)
Ron Burleson (2002-2004)
Raluca Leibowitz (2004-2005)
John Leinhardt (June 2005)
Michael D. Allen (July 1, 2005)

And underscoring employment stability at the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, 4 key managers resigned during August 2005 — less than 2 months after the new GM’s arrival:
Baleen Chef Donna Wynter
Baleen Sous Chef (second in charge)
Spa Terre Director Monique Michaud
Director of Membership Denyse Hall

Biscayne Bay — Pride of the Magic City


Extolling the beauty and identifying the needs of this magnificent body of water hugging Miami


Those of us who live near the shores of Biscayne Bay or are surrounded by its lapping bliss appreciate its beauty and serenity. We are also concerned about its future.

The following comments from a member of one of Miami's most prominent pioneer families adds even more significance to what we must learn about this bit of Miami's and Biscayne Bay's proud history.

Early pioneers that arrived before 1900 depended on the bay and local creeks and rivers for transportation. The only road was the old military trail from Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Dallas on the Miami River. It was not a good road and was prone to flooding often.

Little River (Biscayne Blvd at 78th Street) and Arch Creek (the original settlement now known as North Miami) were populated by pioneers in the 1890s. These waterways were critical for moving crops to market in Miami via the bay.

I can give you info about the first Bay Causeway and the first man-made bay islands. My great-grandfather was chairman of the Dade County Commission, the leading political figure in the county from 1915 to 1921 and the most vocal proponent of road building.

With everyone pitching in we can preserve the beauty of this magnificent body of water and — what is so very important — protect the delicate ecosystem by doing everything possible to prevent pollution of Biscayne Bay.

What strikes you most about Biscayne Bay?
If you are living on its shore or on an island in the Bay such as Grove Isle, why did you choose to make your home where you are caressed by the Bay’s soothing waters?
What are the needs of the Bay?
What contribution are you making or are willing to make toward protecting Biscayne Bay?

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“Install proper drainage for all courts that will keep the clay run off from draining into the bay and protect the delicate ecosystems that have been affected in the past years by sediment run off from our courts. Tentatively scheduled to start January 17, 2000.”
Jamie Colee, V.P. Development
Noble House Hotels and Resorts
From a letter dated January 12, 2000
addressed to the members of the
Grove Isle Club, Grove Isle Hotel & Spa
Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida
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Jamie Colee Makes Promises


James ("Jamie") P. Colee, Vice President Development, Noble House Hotels and Resorts, addressed a letter to the members of the Grove Isle Club at The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa in Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida, operated by Noble House, headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.


NOBLE HOUSE HOTELS, RESORTS & HIDEAWAYS

January 12, 2000

Dear Grove Isle Members,

I would first like to apologize for the inconvenience that you are experiencing as a result of the hurricane damages to the Tennis Facility at the Grove Isle Club and the delays in repairing the facilities. We are making every effort to take this opportunity to upgrade the entire facility. However, when dealing with insurance companies and local building authorities, things have a tendency to take longer than we would all like. I am sorry for any incorrect information that you may have received from the local management and can assure you that they are giving you the best information that they can and are in no way intentionally trying to misguide you. You are indirectly feeling the same frustrations that we are in settling this insurance claim and the false promises that we are given by building authorities and insurance representatives.

On the brighter side, as we continue to negotiate the improvements to the facility, the repairs to the Tennis Facility will result in a top notch, professional, facility that I think all Club Members will be proud of. We are taking the opportunity to improve all of the problem areas that the club has had to endure for some time.

Hopefully, you have noticed some of the work that has been completed to date:

New landscaping on marina side of tennis courts.
All damaged fencing has been replaced or repaired around the tennis courts.
All new automated “pop-up” sprinkler system on the tennis courts.

In the upcoming week of January 17th, we will be starting the following improvements as well:

Resurface and reline all courts. All courts will undergo Laser Tapered Resurfacing which will result in courts that drain perfectly and do not puddle. This will virtually give us 12 brand-new courts. Tentatively scheduled to start 1/17/99.
Install proper drainage for all courts that will keep the clay run off from draining into the bay and protect the delicate ecosystem that have been affected in the past years by sediment run off from our courts. Tentatively scheduled to start 1/17/99.
Repair all lighting. Tentatively scheduled to start 1/17/99.
Replace all wind screens that will also sport the new Grove Isle logo at the ends of the 2 tournament courts. Tentatively scheduled to start 1/17/99.
Replace all torn and damaged nets on all courts. Scheduled for completion once resurfacing is complete.
Replace awning at Pro shop. Tentatively scheduled to start 1/21/99.
Replace all water fountains: Tentatively scheduled to start 1/17/99.
Remodel interior of Pro shop and add new men's and women's changing rooms including A/C to the bathrooms. Tentatively scheduled to start 1/17/99.
Upgrade the furniture in front of the Pro shop. Scheduled for completion once the Pro shop renovations are complete.

I hope that this information helps to get you as excited about the upcoming improvements to the Tennis Facility as we are. I understand that this has been a frustrating experience for all of you and understand that the process of change and upgrading a facility is never without its' share of difficulties. I can only ask that you remain patient a bit longer and you will not be disappointed. In the upcoming weeks, you will begin to see all of the changes that we have all been waiting eagerly to take place. I hope that seeing actual construction in progress will help to calm the frustrations that you have had and excite the Club Members about the future of the Tennis Club Facilities. I think that when we are completed, we will have one of the finest tennis facilities in South Florida.

Please feel free to give me a call any-time to discuss this or any other matter pertaining to the property improvements at Grove Isle.

Sincerely,
(signed)
Jamie Colee
V.P. Development
Noble House Hotels and Resorts

Please note:
The letter was re-typed bearing Mr. Colee’s signature because the copy that was distributed to all Grove Isle Club members is of poor quality and not easy to read. However, a diligent effort was made to reconstruct his letter verbatim.
Since January 17, 2000 fell on a Monday, all references to 1999 should most probably say 2000.
Mr. Scott Vokey, Vice President and General Counsel of Noble House Hotels & Resorts confirmed the information contained in the letter is "old" but does not deny the problems still exist. Messrs. Patrick and James Colee refused to comment
The overwhelming majority of the promises, especially those related to solving major problems such as dealing with the delicate ecosystem, remain promises.
Noble House is owned by the Colee family with father Patrick ("Pat") R. Colee as Chairman.

The photo of the light pole stump (taken June 8, 2005) shows how age caught up with a light pole on court 2 in January 2004.

A collection of 50 photographs document the condition of the tennis facilities as of June 8, 2005.

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“Install proper drainage for all courts that will keep the clay run off from draining into the bay and protect the delicate ecosystem …”
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When money is unreasonably coveted,
it is a disease of the mind which is called avarice.

Cicero (106 BC-43BC)
Roman author, orator and politician
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Sunday, November 06, 2005

When Frustration Boils Over: True Feelings of a Club Member?


March 24, 2004

The General Manager
Grove Isle Club and Resort
Noble House
4 Grove Isle Drive
Coconut Grove, FL 33133

Dear Madam:

As condo owners, we are forced to pay the private profit-making enterprise Noble House D/B/A Grove Isle Club and Resort $1500 each and every year and that’s what we get for our money.

It must cost many thousands of dollars to replace the clay [on the tennis courts] that gets blown away when the wind is blowing much, and that is happening frequently. Why don’t your workers turn the sprinklers on for a little while early in the morning? That will keep the clay from being blown away.

Don’t you find it appalling that we have to pay when the club runs a tennis round robin and we are even asked to bring food? We have brought friends to these affairs and they could not believe that a private club maintained with member dues would scoop so low and ask for $10 and bring-along- food.

These tennis activities are like a needle in a haystack. We don’t even have one every month. And what happened to the social calendar of club activities? We don’t get anything for our money.

We have been members of several private clubs for many years (some charged much more than per year). Never have I seen so little respect for the members by the club. They stand around instead of offering service. They don’t treat us with the respect a private club member deserves. It’s like visiting $1500 Kmart. They get chummy with us and call us by our first name. They engage in talk of a personal nature that’s not appropriate. They even make passes and engage in conversation with sexual overtones. This is the first and only club where we experience such behavior.

Every club we ever belonged to presented its members with a member directory so we could know who to call and where. At Grove Isle, management believes we are a secretive society or they are simply to lazy to prepare such a directory and make it available to the members.

How serious are you treating your members according to your promise, including a break on hotel rates? I simply made a mistake identifying myself as a “club member.” Had I not done so I could have gotten a better rate at the hotel for friends who came to visit us in Miami. So you are discriminating against members.

Here is my assessment of why the service is so terrible at the Grove Isle tennis courts, the Baleen restaurant, and the two bars. The staff is not properly supervised. There’s no management. The staff has no one to look up to. Leadership does not exist. And here’s the worst assessment — management’s priority focuses on their own agenda in conjunction with laziness. Of course, there is also incompetence. Supervisors and managers do not know what it takes to serve the club members in a professional manner. That’s why the Grove Isle Club and Resort cannot be a first class private club.

In the restaurant and at the bars we are charged 18% gratuity. That is effectively a 24% tip we are forced to pay even when the service is terrible.

Your accounting department does a terrible job. We talk about it a lot at tennis. Charges show up on our monthly statements that are wrong and we have to fight to get it corrected. That’s why many members do not charge anymore. Strangely enough, these wrong charges are always in favor of the club. That’s shameful. We simply cannot trust our club.

Why have the unit owners received their club membership bill and the off-island members have not? It just shows the unit owners carry the club's budget load.

We go to the pool and the service is lacking. Often we can’t get service and can’t get towels.

A number of our neighbors do not play tennis and they are very upset because they do not get their money’s worth when they pay the $1500 club membership fee. All they get is the 25% discount at Baleen and the hotel — that’s not even guaranteed — and that just is not worth $1500 each and every year. Some of the reasons are identified above. They get much more and much better service for their money in fine restaurants located in the neighborhood.

I could be selfish and say that’s wonderful if all condo owners pay the annual fee so I can play tennis in style. I don’t think that is going very far. These people are going to rebel and stop paying the club dues. They are even talking about suing because they don’t get what they were promised and simply don’t get their moneys’ worth. My tennis friends would ostracize me if they knew I wrote this letter. They love having all those non-tennis players pay the club dues.

I am reminded of my MBA days studying and observing the performance of the supervisory personnel: It’s the “Peter Principle” confirmed.

You should do a survey on how many of the condo residents eat at Baleen, visit the 2 bars or make reservations at the hotel.

Obviously, there’s something terribly wrong when we get a new “General Manager” for the club on the average less than every 12 months. That’s evidence proving the club’s poor management that can’t be hidden when it comes to a court battle.

I wish you the utmost best in your new endeavor.

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We are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead,
nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it.
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)
3rd United States president

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Saturday, November 05, 2005

Lunch at Baleen Restaurant — the Palapa Bar


July 25, 2005, Monday, 5:12 pm
My email to Michael Allen (General Manager, the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida) and Thomas Wright (Director of Food & Beverage Operations):

Dear Messrs Allen and Wright:On Saturday, July 23, 2005, MC, RC, GK, and I (all members of the Grove Isle Club) visited the Palapa Bar for lunch. Prompted by our experience, we agreed to document our observations and share them with you for the express purpose of assisting management.

We agreed as follows: I will prepare a draft of the report to management, pass it to the others for review, and they will bring any inaccuracies and missed information to my attention to ensure we submit an accurate and complete report to you. I made the corrections, added enhancements supplied, and prepared this communication.

Here is our report:

Following our tennis enjoyment, we went to the Palapa Bar for lunch at approximately 12:30.
At the Palapa Bar, five tables were occupied by guests during the time we were there, being served by four servers.
We waited approximately 15 minutes for the menu.
Upon receiving the menus and asking for water, we then waited approximately 15 minutes for the water.
The food was served at approximately 1:30 pm. However, no cutlery was brought to our table.
Re the food quality:
The crab cake was good.
The Greek salad was tasteless, contained plain lettuce, and had no dressing.
The Caesar’s salad did not contain garlic, lemon, and dressing; it contained one piece of anchovies (not cut).
Upon requesting to speak to a supervisor, Restaurant Supervisor Rebecca arrived at our table at 2:17 pm, apologized, and advised us there would be no charge for the lunch.
Following Mrs. C’s refusal to accept the initial serving of the Caesar’s salad, Server Jason arrived with the replacement Caesar’s salad. Mrs. C refused the salad. Jason insisted she take the salad stating “Eat the salad; for $11, it’s free.” Mrs. C was firm and refused the salad.
The dressing for the Greek salad arrived at 2:58 pm.
Our table was never cleared of empty glasses, plates, etc.
We had to ask for more water; our glasses were never voluntarily replenished.
When Mr. C asked for additional iced tea, the server fetched his glass by sticking his thumb into the glass to carry it away. Mrs. C observed that this glass, handled in an unsanitary manner, was filled at the bar and returned to Mr. C.
The attitude of the servers was terrible: they acted as though they were doing us a favor serving us. This attitude was apparent from the beginning and was not induced by our expressing dissatisfaction with the service and food.
No one ever followed up, stopped by our table to inquire — How is everything? Is there anything else? Etc.
At 2:45 pm there were no guests inside the Baleen restaurant and one table was occupied by two guests in the outside area of Baleen. We make this observation to preclude the assumption that the restaurant/bar staff was very busy.
At a table next to ours, a couple was waiting for service and impatiently fetched cutlery and menus from a neighboring table at 2:47 pm.
Staff members present: Servers Chris, Colin, Jason, and Kyle; Restaurant Supervisor Rebecca.
Our consensus: The Palapa Bar could be a gold mine if it were “run properly” and tennis players would love to conclude their play on the courts with a relaxing get-together at the poolside bar at lunchtime and/or in the evening.

Sincerely yours,
Heinz Dinter, PhD
HDinter@GrandLifestyle.com

[Rebecca assured us that service will improve. “Michael Allen and Tom Wright will train all of us next week,” she proudly announced. It is my understanding this training has not taken place.]

More Baleen Reviews that Make Your Spine Tingle

The Miami New Times Reviews Grove Isle’s Baleen.
The Miami New Times, Miami’s stalwart newsweekly reported the following in its February 24, 2005 edition. Please click here for the story: http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/2005-02-24/dining/cafe.html.
For those who have difficulties reaching the story at the newsweekly’s website on the Internet, here’s the text:
From miaminewtimes.com
Originally published by Miami New Times 2005-02-24
© 2005 New Times, Inc. All rights reserved.

Brunch Two Ways: Right and Wrong
By Lee Klein
So I suppose I’ll see you at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival’s “Tribute Brunch” this Sunday at the Loews Hotel. It’ll be great -- Francis Ford Coppola in the flesh to accept recognition for his esteemed Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery, and we, sampling those luscious wines while enjoying Tuscan delicacies divined by chef Carey Savona -- what’s that?

Oh, gee, I’m sorry. I mean, I never would have brought it up had I known, it being sold out and all. And of course you’re right -- not everyone receives complimentary tickets. Well, these gala affairs are overrated anyway. It’s not like Coppola will be sharing salacious tales of his barhops with Brando or anything, and the wines poured will probably be the same as those you can buy in the market -- just better vintages. Hold on a second, I have a call on the other line.... As I was saying, if you’ve been to one of these extravaganzas, you’ve been to them all. You have been to one, haven’t you? Really? Anyway, the main point I meant to make is that even one can be too many if you’re not in the champagne, caviar, and laughter sort of mood. Besides, there are lots of other great Sunday brunches around town to try. The Biltmore Hotel and Ritz-Carlton properties put out breathtakingly comprehensive spreads. Blue Door at the Delano serves sushi and other distinctive items and has that chi chi outdoor terrace. The Rusty Pelican is decidedly less chic but boasts omelet, pasta, and carving stations, along with a beautiful Biscayne Bay setting. And Emeril’s bams out an à la carte Sunday soiree right next door to the Coppola affair, so as we rattle the walls with merriment you’ll be able to feel the vibrations and possibly, in some small way, indirectly share in our unbridled joy.

Come again? No, quite frankly I wasn’t aware that you’re not big on indirectly sharing joy. Surely I didn’t suggest this as a means of rubbing it in, and I’m sorry you took it that way. Heck, just to show you that my heart is in the right place, I’m going to check out two of Miami’s most renowned Sunday brunches, Baleen and Nemo, and report back to you in some detail -- just on the outside chance you’d be interested. These places may not have Francis Ford Coppola, but have a coppola mimosas and you won’t care! Heh heh. Hello?

Nemo’s brunch has long been regarded as one of the very best, and our visit reaffirmed that reputation. As soon as you enter the restaurant the sweet, caramel aroma of Belgian waffles, cooked on a table set up by the front door, caresses the olfactory senses in a most hospitable manner. Accompaniments include butter, homemade marmalades, maple syrup, whipped cream, strawberries, and blueberries; people of moderation might consider skipping the butter.

Just beyond the waffles is a carving station with butcher blocks of Indian-spiced pork loin and turkey, while across the room to the right of the door is an area wellstocked with traditional morning pastries: Danish, croissants, muffins, sticky buns, assorted bagels with smoked salmon and accompaniments. Homemade granola can be found here too, yet it’s easy to miss this bountiful buffet upon entering Nemo -- after the brief waffle and carving diversion, the natural inclination is to stop in your tracks at the hammered-copper bar covered end to end, layer upon layer, with Hedy Goldsmith’s bodacious baked goods: key lime squares, chocolate tarts, mini cheesecakes, pecan sandies, peanut butter and banana fritters -- few bakeries exhibit this wide a selection, and it’s no exaggeration to say that if you have a sweet tooth, these sugary delights alone are well worth the $27 price of admission (kids $13.50).

The counter running between Nemo’s open kitchen and front dining room is likewise bedecked with comestibles: breakfast meats, duck confit, hash browns, sushi, and a plethora of ingredients in salad form: white fish, beets, sweet potatoes, couscous, white beans, fruits -- all in all about 30 choices, including a platter of eggs Benedict, which is markedly superior when served fresh. Nemo might consider putting these on the à la carte menu of five omelets that are part of the brunch. The pair we sampled were prepared with aplomb -- one stuffed with goat cheese, oven-dried tomato, and basil; another with wild mushroom, spinach, and fontina.

Nemo’s lush, tree-shaded patio provides a serene setting for alfresco dining, while the interior, with French doors swung open, is breezy and still stylishly bohemian after all these years. Service was sharp, emptied plates swiped from our table immediately and almost invisibly, fresh-squeezed juice and coffee poured with style. Champagne, mimosas, and bloody marys cost extra, as do Nemo’s excellent raw bar selections, so I guess it’s not a perfect brunch.

With its billowy white curtains and supple views of Biscayne Bay, Baleen, too, has long been a favorite brunch destination. Unfortunately during a recent visit the vivacious vistas stood in stark contrast with shockingly shabby fare. Things began in surprising fashion when I discovered my opening salvo of coffee came with a $3.50 surcharge, which means this becomes a $41.50 brunch for most diners. A gentleman seated at a nearby table experienced an even shakier start when he politely asked for a glass of white wine in place of complimentary champagne; he claimed to be allergic to the bubbly. The waiter initially told him that no substitutions were allowed, but at the diner’s behest checked with management and returned a short time later to say the switch was approved -- “but only because you have an allergy!”

Why display a grudging attitude over so simple a request? Because Baleen does everything wrong at brunch. The buffet table in the main dining area was so sparse I was sure we were missing a second room, one where, as I assured my wife, “they display the good stuff.” There was no second room. The parsimonious picks included caesar or regular salad; tomatoes and mozzarella; chicken, potato, tuna, and egg salads; artichoke salad that appeared to be canned; mussel and shrimp salad; insipid grilled vegetable platter; similarly insipid fruit plate (grapes, watermelon, ghostly pale cantaloupe and honeydew); smoked salmon (same color as the cantaloupe); supermarket quality bagels (plain only); supermarket quality croissants (or shall we say “crescent rolls”).

A few scrawny little muffins rounded out the baked goods. If you want granola or yogurt, sorry. Bacon, ham, sausage? No dice. Hot foods are only available from an à la carte menu that, as at Nemo, comes with the brunch. Main course choices are Belgian waffles, eggs Benedict (topped with what tasted like powdered Hollandaise, only worse), French toast (soppy white-bread version), salmon-asparagus omelet; pasta with vodka cream sauce; and a succulent square of herb-crusted sea bass, which is your best bet -- at least you get a tangible meal with intrinsic value for your otherwise misspent money. The “Viennese Table,” a meager three-dessert selection of napoleon, chocolate bread pudding, and chocolate cup with piped-in mousse, is a slap in the face to the good people of Austria.

How can there be such a disparity between Nemo and Baleen? Apparently only one of the two places has pride.

Nemo,100 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-532-4550. Sunday brunch from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Baleen, 4 Grove Isle, Coconut Grove;305-860-4305. Sunday brunch from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

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The Miami New Times Reviews Grove Isle’s Baleen.
The Miami New Times, Miami’s stalwart newsweekly reported the following in its May 26, 2005 edition. Please click here for the story: http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/2005-05-26/dining/cafe.html.
For those who have difficulties reaching the story at the newsweekly’s website on the Internet, here’s the text:
From miaminewtimes.com
Originally published by Miami New Times 2005-05-26
© 2005 New Times, Inc. All rights reserved.

Lost in Translation
Suffering from a stifling case of Wynter blues

By Lee Klein
Not too long ago an unflattering review of Baleen’s brunch adorned these pages. The oak-paneled, forest green, chandelier-sophisticated dining room (curiously themed with monkeys) didn’t bother me, nor did the circular, fully foliaged outdoor patio, whose Biscayne Bay backdrop makes Baleen one of the area’s most romantic locales. Rather it was the skimpy, third-rate buffet that caused my jaw-dropping shock, considering the high repute this Grove Isle establishment has enjoyed since 1999, when current Chispa whiz Robbin Haas took control.

By merging classic American steak house with South Florida fish house, Haas managed to create a menu featuring a superb selection of oak-grilled meats, seafood, and specialty plates such as lobster bisque, Asian bouillabaisse, and Chinese fried snapper. Since then Baleen has developed into a national restaurant chain with locations in Naples, Daytona Beach, San Diego, Scottsdale, and Santa Fe, all of which are run by Noble House Hotels and Resorts. Haas has long since moved on, but many of his hits still inhabit the menu at Grove Isle (and other locales), accompanied by contributions from his successor, Arturo Paz, whom I wrongfully assumed was still gainfully employed at the time of my brunch.

Not until I caught chef Donna Wynter on WSVN’s “A Bite with Belkys” preparing one of Baleen’s new specialty dishes -- grilled sugar cane shrimp and scallop skewers -- did I realize she is now in command of the Baleen kitchen. I felt slightly bad for not having allowed Ms. Wynter more time to revamp brunch, considering her rather heralded career history: She helmed Satine and Nikki Marina at the Diplomat in Hollywood, Palme D’or at the Biltmore, and Donna’s Bistro at the David William Hotel.

Before judging Wynter’s impact on dinner, I made a point of allowing a few months to elapse. I might as well have been waiting for a Baleen in Baghdad, because the menu has hardly changed a whit, without even a whiff of those grilled sugar cane skewers Belkys enjoyed. Evidently Ms. Wynter isn’t entirely free to fiddle with the now-franchised formula.

When Robbin Haas first crafted the menu, items were fresh, innovative, and produced by a caring chef whose rising reputation was directly linked to the warm reception with which the menu was received. However, much like the child’s game of telephone, every time his recipes are whispered to a new chef, they lose a little of their magic in translation.

Baleen now offers a monkey-see, monkey-do menu whose inspiration date has long since expired. Houston’s and the Cheesecake Factory demonstrate that formulaic cuisine (meaning that which comes not from the heart but the chart) does have public appeal, but when ordering an $18 crabcake appetizer and a $44 steak, one expects Spago, not Wolfgang Puck Express.

Those crabcakes: two golden brown, coarse, crunchy balls with reasonably seasoned filler, comprising mainly bread and shredded crabmeat. Served on a chilled plate and carried across the breezy verandah, the cakes arrived cold. A tureen of signature lobster bisque may have been served warm, but the food runner dashed from the table before my dining companion or I noticed the lack of a spoon; it took at least five minutes to nab one from a passing waiter, by which point most heat had escaped. The bisque wasn’t much to brag about anyway: The texture lacked refinement (almost lumpy), the flavor too heavy on cream and brandy, too light on lobster and Madeira (if it was Madeira; my dinner mate insisted it was “a sherry of questionable quality”).

An organic Bibb lettuce salad was presented as a whole head, whose large leaves were lightly drizzled with a white, watery, mild dressing billed as “buttermilk-jalapeño.” The only real flavor was imparted via shreds of Parmesan cheese and roasted pumpkin seeds -- at least I think they were pumpkin seeds, for the outdoor illumination, mostly by candle and tiki torch, is romantically subdued.

With only two red meat entrées (Roquefort-crusted filet mignon and Kansas City sirloin), Baleen is now a lot more surf than turf. Half a dozen varieties of seafood are available oak-smoked and à la carte, the remainder dressed with Asian and Caribbean trappings. Some are served whole, which led our waiter to quip, “We can remove the head in the kitchen if you don’t want to meet the fish before you eat it.” He had a bunch of one-liners as rehearsed as the recipes. Being the first seated in our section meant hearing his jokes recited for each and every table nearby. But he was an excellent waiter, as was the server on our return visit.

We tried an old Baleen standby, black grouper with artichoke-bacon mash and lemon-caper sauce. The plump piece of fish was slightly overcooked, the sauce floury, the mashed potatoes flecked with only a few snippets of canned artichoke hearts; there were a couple of rumored bacon-bit sightings, but they couldn’t be confirmed by taste.

Another long-time and now nationwide item, free-range chicken “with wild mushroom sauce and goat cheese dumplings,” brought two relatively juicy breasts, skin-on and bone-off, but the sauce’s white mushrooms were neither wild nor exotic. It didn’t matter much, as sun-dried tomatoes dominated the dish, which came as surprise considering they bore no mention in the item description. Accompanying dumplings were impossibly leaden, to the extent that I took great care in eating them -- if one of these torpedo-shaped dough bombs were to drop from fork to foot, it could fracture a toe.

A four-course tasting menu is available for $65 and a wine flight for an additional $45. The tasting menu reflects changing themes, with items also available to à la carte diners. I snared a pan-seared yellowtail snapper from the week’s Cuban dinner, figuring this was my chance to sample one of Wynter’s creations. The fish was served skin-on, but rather than being brown and crunchy, the surface was steamy and stretchy. A general rule of cooking dictates the side of fish to be served face-up should first be crisped face-down in the pan to improve presentation. The snapper was otherwise moist and fresh, blanketed with olive slices and blandly stewed tomatoes and onions. Moros on the side were agreeably saturated with an unbeatable smoky bacon flavor, but countless Cuban joints around town offer a punchier, much larger portion of the same fish for a lot less money. Baleen’s wines, incidentally, match the cuisine quite well -- they too are overpriced.

By the third time I heard the waiter’s intro for white chocolate and pear crme brùlée (I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad crme brùlée”), it was hard to stop myself from muttering, “Well, I have, and it usually entails ingredients like white chocolate and pear.”

I’m not sure what the rule of thumb is regarding how expensive a restaurant need be before cuteness becomes inappropriate, but I assume any place selling a bowl of berries for $15 may meet the criteria. When asked what fruit was included in the “wild berry bowl with vanilla bean and brown sugar cream” (simply put, flavored whipped cream), the waiter replied, “Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries ... and if we’re lucky, they might have gotten in some blackberries today.”

Desserts are so pricey I worried whether my order for $9 banana and dulce de leche crêpes with cinnamon ice cream might be expedited in the kitchen via the yell, “One cheapo for table 17!” Apple tart was a $14 circle of buttery pastry topped with almond frangipane, thinly sliced apples, a light glaze, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream with raspberry nipple.

There’s a Randy Newman song in which the aging Sixties rocker laments, “Each record that I’m making is like a record that I’ve made. Just not as good.” That’s Baleen, best left to those unfortunate folks from out of town who don’t get to see Biscayne Bay very often.

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Allegedly,
Something Terrible Happened at Baleen
On February 5, 2002, a lawsuit was filed in the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida, Case No. 02-03497 CA 15.

The plaintiff: Elena Villola Carpenter.

The defendants: Westgroup Partner, Inc. d/b/a Baleen; Westgroup Grove Isle Associates, Ltd.; Noble House Grove Isle, Ltd.; Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Ltd.; and Robin Haas.

According to the court docket, discovery is still ongoing and no trial date has been set.
Of the six-count complaint, four counts have survived the defendants' efforts to have the lawsuit dismissed by Circuit Judge Celeste Hardee Muir. Two of the surviving counts are "Statutory Warranty of Merchantability" and "Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress."

The discovery phase has been hot and heavy during the past 3½ years with nine individuals having been deposed under oath, including two physicians, a pharmacist, and Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Miami-Dade County State Attorney.

The amended complaint and the court proceedings will shed more light on the issues. You have a right to know.

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I do the very best I know how, the very best I can;
and I mean to keep on doing so to the end.
If the end brings me out all right,
what is said against me will not amount to anything.
If the end brings me out all wrong,
ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
16th United States president

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The Grove Isle Tennis Club as of 8 June 2005

Left-click an image to enlarge it.








For more photos please visit
http://www.GrandLifestyle.com/grove-condition.htm.

The Case of the Blue-Colored Signature: Childish, Prudish or Professional? Gross?

October 18, 2005: Epilogue. The courier arrives shortly past 1:00 pm with the settlement agreement. Attached to the envelope is a Post-it note stating: IN BLUE "original your signature" Return to Michael Allen.
Lo and behold, the agreement copy delivered to Heinz Dinter does not hold the general manager's signature in blue; Dinter is handed an agreement produced on a copying machine. He signed in blue using the pen the courier brought along. That's the second time he signed the agreement in blue. Earlier in the morning, he was instructed by Allen’s staff to entrust Uncle Sam's Postal Service with the agreement that bears Dinter’s signature in blue. Immediately following the non-compliant, one-sided agreement exchange, Dinter sent an email to the GM.

October 18, 2005 Tuesday 1:52 PM
Dinter’s email to Michael Allen, General Manager, The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa in Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida:
Michael, the agreement you delivered today does not bear your original signature. Please sign a copy in blue and mail it to me. I did so for you.
Thank you.
Heinz

October 22, 2005 Saturday 2:00 PM
A second email to Michael Allen, General Manager, The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa in Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida:
Michael, you have not yet fulfilled your obligation. Please do it, let me know why not, or I shall interpret your conduct and act accordingly.
Heinz

October 22, 2005 Saturday 6:15 PM
Email from Scott Vokey, General Counsel, Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Bellevue, Washington:
Heinz: Stop threatening. What would you do to "act accordingly"??? What do you think your remedy is? And who do you think will enforce it? Do you think there is a breach of the agreement? What do you think a court would do since you have been paid a substantial amount of money and you have a signed agreement? We will get an original signature with initials off to you this week unless the hurricane or other event prevents it. Too, it may not be in blue ink. Scott [sic].

October 23, 2005 Sunday 8:17 AM
Email from Michael Allen, General Manager, The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa in Coconut Grove (Miami), Florida:
Heinz, I mailed an original copy, per your request out on Thursday October 20th, 2005. I signed it in blue ink. For the purpose of putting this to closure, I will again re send out a fully executed, original signed copy with my signature in red on Monday October 24th, as long as DHL is running. You will receive it on Tuesday by noon.
Heinz, due to Hurricane Wilma, if DHL is not running, it will then be sent out Tuesday morning. I will also email you the tracking number.
Please understand, there was no attempt to delay your request, unfortunately, I can not control the US Postal Service but again it will be sent overnight on Monday with all pages showing my original signature.
Let me know if you need anything else [sic].
Michael D. Allen
General Manager
The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa
MAllen@groveisle.com
Direct # 305-860-4350
Fax # 305-860-4393

October 22, 2005 Saturday 8:39 PM
Dinter’s email to Scott Vokey, General Counsel, Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Bellevue, Washington:
Dear Scott,
Thank you for your prompt reply to this email, even though none came in response to my October 18, 2005 1:52 PM email communication.
So many questions! Don't you know the answers? I would gladly be of assistance — especially helping friends — but obeying the law is of paramount importance. I'm referring to UPL, you know.
If not in blue, which color will you resort to? Oops! I asked a question calling for an answer. Will it interfere with your duties as an officer of the court in the most admirable state of Washington?
Most sincerely yours,
Heinz
PS: In case the State of Washington does not have UPL laws: UPL is the unlicensed practice of law.

November 4, 2005 Bingo! Another copy of the agreement arrives — signed in red.