Rosemarie Ingleton left a $110.40 tip on a $552 check at Indochine on Wednesday night, after making an ineffable calculation based on ambiance, food and, of course, service. But she did not give a lot of thought to how it would be distributed among the staff.
“At a place like Indochine, where there are so many people attending to you, my assumption is that they’re sharing the tip at the end of the night — I’m hoping,” said Dr. Ingleton, a Manhattan dermatologist. “But I don’t really know.”
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Thursday, January 6, 2011
California business owners claim ADA lawsuit is simply extortion
MARYSVILLE, CA - Several local business owners are upset after three different lawsuits accused them of not being in compliance with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
But they're not necessarily upset over the compliance issue - they're more upset about what they call extortion. George Louie, of West Sacramento, filed the lawsuits in Yolo County Court just before the turn of the New Year. The lawsuits cite the Budget Inn Hotel and Gary's Place Bar & Grill in Marysville as two businesses without handicapped parking. Budget Inn owner Hasmukl Patel immediately added a handicapped space to his parking lot, then called Louie.
"He said that was not all, he said 'You're going to have to pay something'. I said, 'How much' and he said 'I'll give you the holiday special for $5,000,'" according to Patel.
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But they're not necessarily upset over the compliance issue - they're more upset about what they call extortion. George Louie, of West Sacramento, filed the lawsuits in Yolo County Court just before the turn of the New Year. The lawsuits cite the Budget Inn Hotel and Gary's Place Bar & Grill in Marysville as two businesses without handicapped parking. Budget Inn owner Hasmukl Patel immediately added a handicapped space to his parking lot, then called Louie.
"He said that was not all, he said 'You're going to have to pay something'. I said, 'How much' and he said 'I'll give you the holiday special for $5,000,'" according to Patel.
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Law firm is sued after holiday party ends at bikini bar
LOS ANGELES The holiday season at many law firms means year-end bonuses and a nice dinner for employees at an upscale restaurant.
But things were a little different last year at the Los Angeles law firm of Glancy Binkow & Goldberg, according to a recent lawsuit. At the conclusion of the law firm's 2009 holiday party, founding partner Lionel Z. Glancy took staffers to a Los Angeles bikini bar named Fantasy Island, paid for their admissions and bought a lap dance for at least one employee, a former employee alleges in the sexual harassment and wrongful-termination lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that female employees at the firm were subjected to a hostile work environment that included "partners' obsession with discussing sex in the workplace and derogatory comments about women."
But things were a little different last year at the Los Angeles law firm of Glancy Binkow & Goldberg, according to a recent lawsuit. At the conclusion of the law firm's 2009 holiday party, founding partner Lionel Z. Glancy took staffers to a Los Angeles bikini bar named Fantasy Island, paid for their admissions and bought a lap dance for at least one employee, a former employee alleges in the sexual harassment and wrongful-termination lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that female employees at the firm were subjected to a hostile work environment that included "partners' obsession with discussing sex in the workplace and derogatory comments about women."
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Scotts Valley Hilton scheduled for foreclosure sale Jan. 18
SCOTTS VALLEY - Lenders are foreclosing on the owners of the 187-room Scotts Valley Hilton, setting a Jan. 18 sale date for an unpaid debt of $16.8 million.
According to default notice filed with the county, $1.2 million was owed as of mid-July.
Statewide, 582 hotels were in default or foreclosed in the third quarter, up 71 percent from a year ago, according to the Atlas Hospitality Group based in Irvine.
The fourth-quarter survey has not been posted yet but Atlas Hospitality founder Alan Reay predicted an uptick for the first three to six months of 2011.
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According to default notice filed with the county, $1.2 million was owed as of mid-July.
Statewide, 582 hotels were in default or foreclosed in the third quarter, up 71 percent from a year ago, according to the Atlas Hospitality Group based in Irvine.
The fourth-quarter survey has not been posted yet but Atlas Hospitality founder Alan Reay predicted an uptick for the first three to six months of 2011.
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Phoenix Hilton in foreclosure
The original lender in the foreclosure of Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort and its adjacent golf club took ownership of the north Phoenix property following its Dec. 29 auction after the resort's former owner defaulted on a $55.2 million loan.
C-III Asset Management LLC, the beneficiary, became the property's owner after no one placed a starting bid of $51 million. The beneficiary then formed Top24 - 7th Street Phoenix LLC.
Details about the Delaware-based company were unavailable. Officials from C-III Asset Management did not respond to interview requests Wednesday.
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Bidders show for auction, but don't buy shuttered Niagar Falls hotel
NIAGARA FALLS -- If the shuttered Hotel Niagara in the heart of the city tourist district is to be restored, it's going to take more time.
The bank that holds the mortgage, after a failed attempt by a Texas couple to renovate the 12-story lodging on Rainbow Boulevard, kept control of the property during a foreclosure auction this afternoon at City Hall.
Several potential bidders who showed up for the auction -- including Falls hotelier and former gubernatorial candidate Carl P. Paladino -- were unwilling to place a bid at or above the $1 million minimum offer the State Bank of Texas was willing to take during the public proceeding.
The bank lost $3.29 million as part of the $4.6 million purchase in 2007 by Houston-based Amidee Hotel Niagara, a limited liability corporation owned by James T. Cook Jr. and his wife, Judith B. Cook.
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The bank that holds the mortgage, after a failed attempt by a Texas couple to renovate the 12-story lodging on Rainbow Boulevard, kept control of the property during a foreclosure auction this afternoon at City Hall.
Several potential bidders who showed up for the auction -- including Falls hotelier and former gubernatorial candidate Carl P. Paladino -- were unwilling to place a bid at or above the $1 million minimum offer the State Bank of Texas was willing to take during the public proceeding.
The bank lost $3.29 million as part of the $4.6 million purchase in 2007 by Houston-based Amidee Hotel Niagara, a limited liability corporation owned by James T. Cook Jr. and his wife, Judith B. Cook.
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Denny’s shooting culminates in $79.5 mil lawsuit
A 2007 shooting at Denny’s Restaurant in Kent is culminating in a $79.5 million lawsuit and the subpoenaing of the company’s top brass to a Seattle courtroom.
In the trial, which starts Monday, Seattle attorney Ron Perey is representing Steve Tolenoa, a Kent resident who was left a quadriplegic as a result of the Jan. 21 shooting spree. In addition to the $79 million for Tolenoa’s estimated loss in pay and continued medical needs, Perey also is seeking $530,000 in damages for customer Lisa Beltran-Walker, who was shot in the knee, and her husband Carl Walker, for emotional distress and medical bills.
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In the trial, which starts Monday, Seattle attorney Ron Perey is representing Steve Tolenoa, a Kent resident who was left a quadriplegic as a result of the Jan. 21 shooting spree. In addition to the $79 million for Tolenoa’s estimated loss in pay and continued medical needs, Perey also is seeking $530,000 in damages for customer Lisa Beltran-Walker, who was shot in the knee, and her husband Carl Walker, for emotional distress and medical bills.
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CES, adult conventions send Las Vegas hotel room rates soaring
Two of Las Vegas’ largest annual conventions — the Consumer Electronics Show and Adult Entertainment Expo — are scheduled to open today and have given Strip room rates a major boost for the weekend.
That is, if guests can even find an open hotel room this weekend. Most of the major hotels, including Palms, Caesars Palace, Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Wynn Las Vegas, are sold out for most days this weekend.
Guests trying to book last-minute rooms will find average daily rates like $600 at Palazzo, $566 at Bellagio and $525 at Aria and the Venetian. They’ll find less expensive room rates at second-tier hotels such as $448 at MGM Grand and $420 at Mandalay Bay.
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That is, if guests can even find an open hotel room this weekend. Most of the major hotels, including Palms, Caesars Palace, Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and Wynn Las Vegas, are sold out for most days this weekend.
Guests trying to book last-minute rooms will find average daily rates like $600 at Palazzo, $566 at Bellagio and $525 at Aria and the Venetian. They’ll find less expensive room rates at second-tier hotels such as $448 at MGM Grand and $420 at Mandalay Bay.
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