Bad fashion, bad service

I don't want to come off like a hypocrite with this post, because the places I'm complaining about are both spots that I frequent. First off, the newly opened H&M in the West Edmonton Mall. This store has surprisingly won me over. When they were playing annoying ads on the radio recruiting staff this winter/spring, I tuned them out and figured the store would have nothing to offer me. After one quick go-around inside, though, I was sold. H&M has become the new staple in my admittedly basic wardrobe. How can you beat long-sleeved shirts for 12.90? Polo T's for 19.00? Jeans for under 50.00? It actually hurt me today when I was searching for my next bargain-priced blue striped shirt that's only slightly different than every other blue striped shirt that I own, when I came across this suggested outfit.


* My apologies for not being able to rotate the pic.

I've never claimed to be an expert in any kind of clothing trends, but really, what the fuck is this shit? What's with all the white pants that stores are trying to push on men? Worse yet, what's with the combination of white pants and pinkish shirts? Suddenly looking like a dick has become popular? I don't get it.

The other source of my annoyance is Remedy. Again, in the past I've frequented this place, but over the last few months, Remedy has become my cop-out destination for when I have tons of work to do and nowhere else to go to do it. I've been sitting on this for a while now, and as much as it pains me to say it, the truth must come out:

Remedy has fallen off.

I can't go to this place anymore without being annoyed in some capacity, and it's not because of some oddball middle-aged man who rambles like he's wandered away from the hospital and is waiting for his caregivers to find and sedate him.

I used to love going to Remedy. They have great Indian food and delicious deserts. They've got free wireless and they never make you feel like you have to leave after you've been there a few hours longer than the Coke you purchased warranted. In spite of these pros, a wave of cons is washing my love for the place away.

First off—and keep in mind when I say this that I may be the least-demanding customer a cafe could ask for—the service flat out sucks ass. Remedy employees seem to have fallen in love with having that comforting layer of counter and glass between themselves and the customers, because they are dead set against stepping outside of the area. When you go to the till to order, you now need to stay in the vicinity. If you have the gall to wander back to your table before your food is ready, you can only hope to hear the half-hearted cries of the staff, as they attempt to shout to you to come get your grub. If you don't show up, they'll leave it sitting on the shelf behind them until you come to check on what the hold up is.

Remedy also seems to not want to have an upstairs anymore. Should the lower level of the cafe be full and you have to make the trek upstairs, you'll find that no matter the time of day, most of the tables and chairs have been stacked away as though the place is closed. It's now up to you to set up a seating area, as the staff and owners apparently aren't interested in doing that anymore.

And naturally, when the time comes for you to leave, there's a sign on the wall that asks you to bring your dishes back downstairs with you. You know, your dishes. The same ones that you had to perform a balancing act with on the way upstairs, then rest on the couches or coffee tables up there while you set up your table. The one that the Remedy staff isn't interested in setting up when they open.

Maybe I shouldn't be so worked up about this. I mean, if they want to run their place like a fast food joint, who am I to complain? Maybe this whole post is irrelevant. It's not like these people have the audacity to try and ask for a tip after doing absolutely sweet fuck all for you in the time that you're in there, right?

Of course they want a tip. Not only is there a tip jar at their trusty counter, but a tip option is also present on their keypad whenever you need to pay debit.

I think what truly enraged me about my most recent visit to Remedy was that after going to the counter and ordering two pints of beer and a glass of coke for myself, my brother and Rossy; after knowing that I'd have to carry these three glasses up those stairs in a pyramid fashion and with a can of coke wedged into my now cold and damp back pocket, was that with the blank slate of an employee standing in front of me after handing me the keypad, I cracked and actually tipped them a dollar.

I think I'll go back tonight with a five dollar bill and ask them to kick me in the crotch.