A Review on Frank Casino – The man behind My Place and My Place Satellite.
First look:
Frank Casino is an American, born from Puertorican parents. This makes him native fluent in English as well as Spanish. This might not be something special to some people, but to truly be fluent in Spanish, do open some doors, as he can pass the street-screenings for a native Colombian.
Frank is in his 50's, but you can't imagine that when you meet him – I would have fair-guessed 40 something, so don't be surprised if/when you meet him. After living more than 4 years in Medellin, you could say that he has quite a good overview of the do and don'ts in Medellin. For a first time visitor like me, It really made the difference when it came to fast cutting to the chase, and skip the waste.
The services:
Frank rent out rooms in apartments and do make money out of this service. This is no difference from any of his competition, but there is one big difference: Frank in retired in the states, and has money coming in from the states every month, so he dosen't n-e-e-d the money from his apartment rentals. Hi started it (according to him self) "to have something to pass time by with". That is a big difference, as you are not seen as "just another paycheck", but someone who is visiting and staying in his place.
As this is something he do mainly for fun, and not for a living, it means that he has some days off, when he is not partying with guests, and this is when he is spending time with his family in Medellin. Those days are Sundays and Mondays. As these days are quite slow anyway, you will have no problems finding yourself some action alone in the few casas and bars that are open these days (or the mayorista area that is always open)
Another thing to remember is that Frank do this every week, so to not become an alcoholic, he has restricted his drinking to a few days a week (I think Wednesday, Friday and saturdays). This dosent meen that he can't guide you, or help you with things: Just that he will not be drinking like if he was the one on vaccation. No hard feelings from that he drink softdrinks these days in other words.
I also know Frank just like me like's to go to the gym, and mixing drinking and working out never gives good results. (try it, and you know it)
When it comes to service's aside from apartments, it's really all up to you. I was chasing non pro's and Frank did pull a rabbit out of the hat and set us both up with normal collegegirls the same day I arrived, that went with us to Mangos for a party. For other guests who prefer the pro scene, Frank personally know both pro-girls, casa managers and stripbar owners, so that you will never need to be without a companion, if that is what you seek.
The last but important point about Frank's services outside of his rental business, is that if YOU want him to go along partying, you have to pay 75% from what he is drinking if you are alone, or 100% if you are two or more guys. This might sound like alot, but as stated above: Frank do this every week, so what it comes down to is a couple of beers, and some glasses of rum. In practical meaning, just a modest amount of sums.
This has to do with the prices that Frank have (300. 000 pesos for a week) as he would actually loose money if he had to guide/party with you 3-4 days in a week and pay everything by himself. If you don't want to party with him, that is cool to, it's totally your decision – You are the customer. From my point of view I think Frank is a great party guy, and also a good non pro wingman, so I will invite him, ither I am staying in his place or not – but that's me.
Personality:
Frank is really adoptive to his customers. One week he can be hanging out with +65 years old hardcore mongers, and they will have a good time. The next week gel with some middle aged non pro hunters, who are searching for good non pro hunting grounds, rather than pro casas. The week after it could be hanging with some young hardcore mongers (like Franks report #1885 in the Medellin reports) that just want to lay progirls all the time.
Also, I have never seen Frank in a bad mood, or beeing drunk when out. He is professional, and made sure that I had a good time, at the same time enjoying himself with the girls we met. So I have only good things to say about Frank. And the next time, I will not be needing the guiding from Frank, but still will be hanging with him as I consider him as a stand up guy and a good friend of mine.
Lastly a couple of words of Franks character:
It was a slow, rainy day and I was going alone to a stripbar in El centro. When I got in I knew from the start that this was not a good idea as the few guys (only colombians) that was visiting the club, did turn their attention against me, rather than the stripper that was naked on stage. Surprise, surprise, I just got time to order a beer and have two sips from it when two young, +20 something colombian customers stepped up from their table and came to my table.
They told me in spanish that I was a gringo, and as gringos are rich I should give them my plata (money). I pretended that I didn't understand spanish and answeared in my native language (that they don't understand zip of) that I don't understand spanish. They tested me by saying "So you really are gay, arent you a little homo? " I just smiled and answeared in my language, Yes, f*ck you to very much, and went up from the chair and walked to the bar. The two Colombian guys walked out to the bathroom, but before they got time to come up with a new bright idea, I just left the beer on the bar and walked straight out and took the first taxi out of there.
When I told this story to Frank two days laiter, he immediatly wanted to go to the stripbar and have a couple of words with the manager, as he personally had introduced me to that club, and recommended it to me as a place that he like's to visit sometimes. I said that it wasn't of importance, and we left the matter untouched. The day after Frank still haven't let go of the incident, and asked me if we could go to the bar and talk to the manager. I agreed, and when we came there Frank first talked to the bouncer. The bouncer first denied it, and said that there wasn't any kind of problems in their club, and that I had left the club because I didn't like the girls! But Frank stood firm in the discussions, and after speaking to 3 guys working at the club, he met with the manager. He told the manager that if gringos are having a problem with other/colombian guest in this club, then it is the managers problem. And as he (Frank) doesn't get one cent from recommending gringos to visit that particular club, but rather bring them there because of the low prices and the normally good atmosphere, he could easily recommend them to goto other clubs that do care about the security of their guests.
The manager agreed when he understood that he/the club could be losing money from Frank's recomendations of other more secure clubs, to his money-strong gringovisitors and promised to keep an extra eye on the gringos visiting the club in the future.
Now, the bottomline of that story is, that Frank did not need to go to this club at all, as he had nothing to do with it. He did it because he did care about a guest who had had a bad experience in El centro, and wanted make sure that future guests would not walk into the same kind of experiences when they are visiting bars in the centro. And that's sums up Frank in my book – A stand up guy that do care about his guests.
Happy hunting / Ken Apples
My Place Satellite, 2-3 mnts. walk to "Unicentro" Mall !
Yes guys,
Forgot to mention that My Place Satellite, soon to become My Place ll with 4 additional rooms on the Good-N-Cheap at $25US a night and $150 a week with Wingman fee waived and WIFI Internet, is a 3-4 minute walk from the famous "Unicentro" Mall! This is an upscale mall that will make you feel right at home, but with a twist! The "twist" is the hundreds of beautiful Colombian women you will see walking up and down every Corridor in the Mall! Welcome to "Paradise Medellin"! For info. And lots of Pics. Of My Place, some of La Mayorista "cuties", and Saturday "Nights Out" with Frank & Company, PM me directly!
Frank Casio!
