I am Jack Spicer’s inflated ego.

How far can one man push the nation’s most accommodating hotel?
By Jack Spicer

I am not Jack Spicer. I am actually a decent guy, meek and apologetic. Jack is my alter ego. He’s pushy, difficult–the polite term is particular. Jack gets what he wants, and he wants like there’s no tomorrow. He is a hotel concierge’s nightmare. I, on the other hand, feel bad asking for the free shoeshine. But I was tired of saying “please” and “sorry.” I wanted to release my inner Jack. And I knew where we had to go: the Mansion on Turtle Creek, in Dallas, rated the nation’s top hotel for service in T&L’s annual readers’ poll.

Good service means getting what you want when, where, and how you want it. Great service never makes you feel guilty for asking, even when you’re out of your spoiled mind.

Putting the Mansion to the test, Jack and I subjected the staff to demands realistic and ridiculous. Then, for the sake of comparison, we checked into a mammoth chain hotel–let’s call it the Gargantua. Here’s how we fared.

Note: Article located half way down page, past list of hotels.

My domain host has decided to FUBAR my site. Hopefully I should have it resolved within the next few days, but for those of you who see my site with either the white background or the blue bottom banner or both, I apologize. We should resume regular programming soon.

Welcome, those of you who flocked here while Adam is indisposed (disposed?). For those of you who dont know me, I am Andrew, and I am not a professional chef. I just land internships in professional kitchens.

I am le poseur.

Anyway, it gives me the opportunity to see professional chefs work, which gives me the opportunity to give you the opportunity to see whats going on in real life, hardcore restaurants!

Still with me? Good.

Right now I’m in Spoleto, Italy, working at Il Castello di Poreta. This is where we begin our journey together.

Isn’t that fun?

So, here I am, typing to you:

By the way, the Boston University label is on my shirt because I attend there, in the Hospitality School, which is what leads me into these kitchens in the first place.

Now that you have the phenominally interesting backstory, I will let you read the rest of the site, which is pretty self-explanitory.

Oh, and if you all go flocking back to Adam when he returns, so be it. I know I will.