Molly Laurence -- Straight Into Compton

Greetings from Atlanta!

This year, thanks to the help of our genius meeting guru (we'll call her Maggie Malone to protect her innocence) we signed a contract to do 75% of our programs at Kimpton Hotels. While everyone else was excited about their affordable room rates and great selection of perks, "Maggie" and I were excited about their pet-friendly policies (most Kimpton properties provide lonely travelers with a goldfish to keep them company during their stay) and free evening wine hour. We waited patiently for six months until the first of our Kimpton meeting came along and finally, today, it came! I traveled to Atlanta, anxiously anticipating my meeting with my first finned-friend and arrived here to a distraught message from Maggie alerting me to the fact that this particular branch does not have the goldfish program (GASP!) I was on the verge of honest to god tears when I reminded myself that I am 30 and that I don't need a goldfish (:()

I arrived at the hotel after a harrowing cab ride in which my driver, rather than going around the block, backed his way 3/4 of a block down Peachtree Street. I checked in and was directed to a lovely room with a king bed, animal print robes, and no fish. Moments later I got a message from my hotel contact apologizing and saying that I should be in a suite and if I could just make myself at home for a little while, they would have it ready shortly. Maggie informed me that they were working on a "surprise" to make up for the fish disappointment which slightly cheered me as I lay down, with a robe over all of my clothes, for a nap.

I awoke and was taken to my suite -- which is beautiful -- and included not one, not two, but THREE goldfish. I don't know where they got these goldfish but I immediately named them (Rocco, Flips, and Dixie). After staring blindly at them for 20 minutes, I started to unpack and went into the bathroom where I was shocked to find a "soaking tub". It's basically a jacuzzi in my room! So I did what any normal person would do -- I dressed a pillow in an animal print robe, placed it in the tub, and sent a picture off to Maggie! (picture attached)

Well, this kicked off a whole new exciting game that I see no end to. See several pictures of "George" enjoying his Kimpton experience.

I went to wine hour and had my first stuffed date. It was divine! As I fired off an e-mail to Maggie proclaiming "I love Kimpton", I giggled as I realized that my BlackBerry spell-checks Kimpton as Compton! So folks as George and I sit her sipping our complimentary wine, watching tv, and talking to the fish, I say to you -- I LOVE COMPTON!