And now, Sandy Berger continues to document the smells and sounds of the IHOP underneath her window. The restaurant installed a ventilator unit to dial down the bacon odors, but with noise levels up, Ms. Berger’s battle continues.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
An inspector came to my apartment and told me that since a violation had already been given they couldn’t serve another one until Sept. 10 when IHOP is due in “court” (he didn’t say which court, but did say that those making the complaints could not be present). This is just not right! We shouldn’t have to rely on the Department of Environmental Protection to describe the schizoid life we’re leading between smells and noise (in some cases, both at the same time); we should have the right to speak for ourselves without having to sue a major corporation.
Saturday, July 28
During a meeting of the ad hoc committee that’s been waging a war to regain our pre-IHOP quality of life, we visited each other’s apartments to understand how we each were affected. The people on the first two floors seem to be bothered by the noise more than smells. They can’t see the eyesore that has become the landscape for the upper floors, which seem to be affected by smells more than noise. The middle floors win the trifecta: they get them all, up close and personal.
Monday, July 30
It was time to name our ad hoc committee. The person who came up with the name would get a free IHOP Bacon Burger. Just kidding, but here were some of the neighbors’ suggestions:
NOISE S.O.S – Neighbors Of IHOP Say Enough: Save Our Senses
SINS – Stop IHOP Noise & Smell
STINK – Say no To IHOP Noise & Krap
Thursday, August 2
7:00 a.m. Awakened by pre-ventilator unit bacon grease odor which lasted about a half-hour. It was the first time that happened since IHOP received the noise citation. I’m coming to the conclusion that if they power down the equipment to lower the noise it will be good for the lower-floor apartments but more of the smells will come through, which will be worse for the upper floors.
If IHOP believes this “divide and conquer” plan will cause us to fight each other rather than them, they are mistaken.
