Maybe??

I have returned from my lady getaway to my cabin. The friend I brought was a perfect guest - paid for everything, despite my protestations; didn’t flinch at any of the harsh conditions; and was delighted by just about everything. We left in the afternoon on Saturday, went to Joshua Tree National Park on Sunday, and came home today. The neighbor was there working on his place and we went and chatted with him about what he was working on. I’m burning with jealousy because their place is so well planned out and professional, and is going to be so amazing, and our place is such a cobbled-together mess. But as I always tell myself when someone else is just plain better at something than me: that’s their path, and this is my path. Ha!

Speaking of desert spaces, so the contractor came this morning - young back packer type guy who showed us pictures of his baby girl and took measurements and drew up a cool 3D image of our place on his iPad right in front of us. It all went great, but of course I’m waiting on that bid. Just praying that a) they actually send one and b) I can afford them. I’ll be so heartbroken if this is yet another company I can’t afford. Fingers crossed. I texted the H that I was meeting with another contractor and he seemed unperturbed, so at least I broached that topic. 

After writing about my hotel issues last week, I came to a very unpleasant and blinding realization that makes everything that’s happened recently make sense - I think the hotel is trying to get rid of me. With all hotels in the area charging $400/night for rooms on my weekend now thanks to the giant new stadium in the area, and my group getting $140/night, I’ve realized I’m the rent controlled tenant they’re trying to low-key pressure to leave so they can make the big money. This is why they’re making zero concessions for me, charging for every ridiculous little thing, and not helping me out by expanding my room block. The general manager told me at our meeting last year that most of the contracts they’re stuck in now they would never enter into today. When he told me that, I thought, am I one of those contracts…? I have three more years with them. I guarantee - I’d bet about $1000 - that when it comes time to renew my contract (probably some time next year), they’ll ask for something outrageous like $300, $350 per night, and I’ll pull my pockets inside out and say, “too rich for my blood” and leave, and they’ll celebrate and get in all the high roller Beyoncé ticket holders. 

Or, you know, I could just be paranoid and they really do want to keep me, but will definitely be raising my rates significantly because everything sucks now. Either way I need to start making an escape plan. So I’ve started doing some research on other hotels. Of course, there’s nothing as good as I have it now. Anything I pick will be a step down and more expensive. Why? Because everything sucks now. Big changes are coming for me. I’ve been at this hotel since 2002. I’m scared and sad and freaked out just thinking about moving. The last time I moved I lost half my attendees and it took years to recoup those losses. I don’t have good memories of that time. 

I’ve reached out to a Hollywood hotel that would be a dream, but I know they’re going to be too expensive. I’d also be losing proximity to the airport and the pool is much smaller (this is important). But. I’d be back in Hollywood and that’s a dream of mine, having left there in 2001. I hope I can at least get over there to tour the property even if it doesn’t work out. 

Kids had a day off school today, so tomorrow I hit the ground running doing a bunch of work-related stuff that all has to happen before I officially open a week from today. God I hope it goes well. There’s so much at stake right now.