THANK YOU, HELENE CROES, AT SETAR PALM BEACH. My home internet service reached pathetic speeds so I stopped by the TeleShop on Palm Beach for a CableNet upgrade. Take a number and a seat, your turn will come. When I got to the counter I experienced ID card issues, as you know, our ID cards have expired a long time ago, and the Censo is not issuing new ones, BUT a customer-friendly supervisor, Helene Croes, accepted a digital copy of my passport, which I sent from my cell phone to her Setarnet address. She printed a copy off her e mail account, and allowed me to complete my CableNet paperwork successfully. She deserves compliments for being super helpful. Your take-away? Bring your passport along, every time you visit Setar, and don’t go there if you’re on a schedule.
A SHOUT OUT TO THE TAX OFFICE. Just for fun, I started counting the number of green/red stickers visible on car windshields, yesterday. I dare say two out of ten passing cars had their stickers properly glued to the glass, as proof of car registration payment. How are you going to process 60.000 vehicles until tomorrow? My friends report a LOOOOONG waiting period at the cashier, and even LOOOOONGER lines at the pick up window. How are you going to “encourage” motorist to comply with the law, by Monday… ADDITIONALLY, you asked us to pick up our AANGIFTE papers, our tax forms for the year, on Thursday and Friday, between 8am and 8pm, and to have them ready for payment on Monday February 15th, before deadline. Wow, that was some hassle. I think you are over your head, you have NEVER been so late, heads would be rolling in the private sector, for such a miserable administrative performance. You should be given a BELASTINGZITTING in court yourself for being so delayed and so behind.
THE TEQUILA WHISPERER. Hubert, the bartender at Mexicado restaurant, Hyatt Regency, is the Tequila whisperer. I sat down at the bar, waiting for friends. I don’t like Tequila, I told him. Have a glass of wine then, he suggested. When he saw I was settling down comfortably, he challenged me for a taste test. There is no such thing as “I don’t like Tequila,” he said, you just didn’t meet the right one. So he gave me a complete presentation regarding flavor, aroma and style, poured me a noble shot from some super-duper, cognac-like bottle, nicely aged and triple distilled. I liked it. I sipped and sipped, and then it kicked my butt. What’s there not to like, at $40 a snifter? I guess you can seduce wine lovers with blue agave. To conclude, Hubert is the up-sell king. He should be giving classes about the subject to other island bartenders, the sooner the better.
