Borgata or Bust? by Liimu

So, last week was all about me trying to reclaim my sass. I'm happy to report that I did exactly that during our anniversary weekend, no thanks to the lame BorNOTTa. (Tee hee - I just made that up. Like it? Me too.)

In lieu of telling you what went WRONG with what was supposed to be a luxurious weekend in a Borgata Suite enjoying the tastes of Borgata at their event, Savor Borgata, I'll share with you a little from my complaint e-mail to them, to which I have yet to receive a response:

"My husband and I chose the Borgata for a much-needed getaway (without our three children) to celebrate our upcoming wedding anniversary. As I am 6 months pregnant, the Savor Borgata event seemed like a perfect choice, as it boasted offering tastings of the finest Borgata chefs, including the world-famous Wolfgang Puck. The price tag to stay in a suite was high, but as it was a special occasion, we decided to splurge. Pregnant, I was looking forward to being treated like a “VIP.” We were more than slightly disappointed to discover that the extra $450 we spent on the room would not even entitle us to free Internet or use of the fitness facility, let alone the bathrobe, slippers and turn-down service we were used to at other hotels for which we are frequent-stay customers (e.g., the Hilton, the Marriott).

While we did enjoy the somewhat pricey buffet – we were encouraged by how good the food was and really looked even more forward to the Savor Borgata event. Upon checkin, we had not been told we would have to wait in line for entry so it was a good thing I thought to check with the concierge 20 minutes before our “reservation.” Of course, there was a line for the Box Office, where we had to go pick up tickets (again – how difficult would it have been to make us feel like special guests by delivering the tickets to our room or having them ready for us upon check in?), and then stand in line to wait for entry. When we entered the event was when things began to get really bad. To make a long story short, there was nowhere for me to sit, even after I complained to management that it would be painful for me to stand the entire two or three hours of the event. (When I got back to my room, my feet were swollen and sore.) It was impossible for us eat and have a drink in our hand at the same time, and we waited in lines that took us 30-40 minutes to get through, only to be rewarded with a tiny plate of appetizer-size food. Further, there was NOTHING for me to drink besides water – they only offered WINE, BEER and water! I was so unhappy and disappointed at what was supposed to be our big celebration, I was near tears by the time we got back to our room at close to 10 PM.

After the event, we tried to salvage our evening by finally getting the VIP treatment that was promised us if we went to one of the two nightclubs. Despite my aching feet, I was determined to feel like a VIP. We had spent close to $1500 on two nights’ stay! That is a lot for us, with three kids and one on the way. How disappointing to find that, yet again, if we didn’t order “bottle service,” we would again have nowhere to sit.

I know Atlantic City caters to gamblers and young people, but I have to say, I had counted on the Borgata, with its reputation for class and elegance, to know how to treat people who were willing to pay for VIP treatment. Instead, we were not only treated like every other clientele, we were constantly encountering folks who were being comped for meals or entertainment, and were given not even the most basic accommodations during a very expensive, supposedly world-class event."

Anyhoo...what I learned from that weekend was that my sass has nothing to do with hanging out in a smoky nightclub or luxuriating in a fancy suite in 4-inch heels and la Perla lingerie. (Not that there's anything wrong with that...) I felt absolutely beautiful, sexy and SASSY all weekend long, and it had more to do with the romantic moments I shared with my husband than anything the lame Borgata had to offer. The most fun moment of the weekend was when I woke up from a luxurious 2-hour nap and immediately broke the silence in the room by chattering about nothing, then had a sudden "aha" moment that I am responsible for the fact that my three girls rarely stop talking unless it's to breathe or eat. As soon as I realized it (and my amused husband confirmed it), I could not stop laughing, even as the tears streamed down my face.

So, maybe the money was well spent after all. Because what I got from last weekend was realizing that the blessings I already have in my life are worth more than any amount of money could ever buy.

CYMA CHATS: with Tatiana Keegan, international ballroom dancer

Q: You married in 2006, at 35 years of age, and had your daughter at 36, both more common ages for women to do so, but old for redesigning a life singularly focused on ballroom dancing. How was that transition for you?

A: It was very different. I always wanted to have a child. When I had her, it was great, but then it felt like something else was missing again. I realized that I had to have both things. I had to use my body again; have that physical exercise. I realized that I had a lot left in me, that I wasn't done yet performing and competing. I had never stopped dancing, I just stopped competing. Just dancing was not enough. I need to be in a high level of competition.

Q: What were the responses of other competitive dancers regarding your pregnancy?

A: People bow in front of me, now (laughs). People say, "At this age, and having a child, you are going back in age! You look younger and have much more energy. You are really giving this your all!"

Q: How do you combine being a mother with being a professional dancer?

A: It's very hard. I knew it was going to be hard. It's not just physically hard, it's emotionally hard. You don't want to give less than 100% to your child; you don't want to give your dancing less than 100%. Especially when my daughter was going through the 'Terrible Two's,' I would get on the train (to class) and think, how can I dance now? But once I started dancing, I would forget about it all. I find that one thing helps the other. Having a child changes everything. Children teach you how to be different -- you have to be very patient with them. I'm training (inside) myself and that helps my dancing get better. I don't get upset like I used to. I used to have much less patience. Now, I have more patience to just try things until I get it.

Q: Do you intend to have more children?

A: I would love to. If I did, I would still like to dance, but not compete anymore.

Q: What lessons do you hope to give your daughter, in going back to a job/work that you truly love?

A: Showing her that nothing comes easy in this life; everything requires repetition. I think that people think that everything comes instantly, I just want to show her that it takes years and years of trying. Nothing comes from luck; it's a lot of hard work. Just keep processing, keep trying, keep failing and you'll get a good result.

Q:Do you see yourself as a role mother for other mothers?

A: Sure. I didn't set out to be one. I hear a lot of people tell me that, esp. my friends who thought they needed to give up dancing after having children.

Q: What do you think about the trend of new older motherhood?

A: I think it's so great that you can pursue your career, or whatever you want, and have children. When you are in your 20's, you still don't know who you are. In your 30's, you are establishing yourself. I think it's a good time to have kids. If you stay young and take care of yourself, you can give something more to your kids.

Q: How do you view your life, now?

A: Maybe there is something in the stars -- it's not yet my time yet to retire. But, if I lose a competition after all that hard work, it won’t devastate me like it used to because I have a family to come home to. I have much more balance in my life – I can really enjoy it now.

Tatiana Keegan is a 12-time International Latin ballroom champion who placed among the top dancers in the world at the Blackpool Dance Festival in England and won the 2000 U.S. Ballroom Championship with Tony Dovolani of “Dancing With The Stars.” In 2003, she retired to focus on her personal life, married three years later, and gave birth to her daughter, Anastasia, in 2007 at the age of 36. In January, she began an inspiring comeback on the international circuit with Werner Figar, a 27-year-old Austrian amateur national champion. In May, Tatiana & Werner won the American Star Ball outside of Philadelphia and placed 2nd at the Austrian national championship, qualifying them for the World Championship in Germany later this year. She is also the ballroom blogger for The Faster Times online newspaper.  Visit http://www.tatianawerner.com/.