[nabs-l] a couple of questions

[Jewel S.]

Well, I don't know about bars and stuff...don't really go. But I do
know about the mall!

When I go to the mall alone, I do some pre-day research. I go to the
website for our mall, and look up the stores I know I will definitely
want to go to. I get their letter-number coordinates (in our mall,
like in many, the stores are seperated into sections labelled A, B, C,
D, etc. The number can be one of two things. If the number is before
the letter, like 1B, then the number is the floor number. If the
number is after the letter, like A13, then that tells you where within
the section the store is. So, for example, say a mall has the bottom
floor sections named A, B, C, D, and E. The second floor, being
smaller, is F, G, and H. Pretend there are two department stores,
JCPenney's, which is A1 and F1. well, then, you know that A and F are
both on the same sides of the mall. And if Belk's is at E1, H1, then
you can assume that since these are both letters at the end of the
list for the floors that the mall goes down t he alphabet from
JCPenney's to Belk's, roughly.

Now, say you are looking for Claire's, which is at C4. If there are 15
stores per section (look and see what the highest number is), then you
can see Claire's is toward the beginning of the section, the fourth
store. C1 might be Raido Shack...well, if it is, find that store and
count to the fourth store. How do you find that one, you might ask?
Well, the same way you learned where C4 is, by association with the
other stores and sections. If Radio Shack is C1, maybe it's at a
corner in the middle of the mall. Well, what's B15? Look for something
you find easily, like Bath and Boyd Works (smells great!), Auntie Em's
Pretzels (another good smell!), or a leather shop (a distinct smell).
Perhaps there's a carousel in your mall, and C1 is the left of the
carousel? Learn the landmarks of your store and find stores based on
those landmarks. In Crabtree Valley Mall, my landmarks are Belk's red
tables (they always have red tables in the aisles, so I know it's
Belk's if there are red-clothed tables), Bath and Boyd Works, Radio
Shack (it has a very bright blue neon sign, with some red too),
Claire's bring pink interior, the Verizon stall which is toward the
middle, and is always pretty crowded, and of course Auntie Em's
pretzel shop. The elevator and escalator are also good landmarks to
know where a store is in relation to them. Upstairs, I again use the
elevator and escalator as landmarks, plus the food court, the candle
store, Sharon's Luggage and Gifts, and so on. Once you have an idea of
some landmarks, it wil make it much easier to find other places.

Now, say you want to go by the mall on a spur-thought to a new store.
You know it's somewhere on the JCPenney's side, but you aren't sure
where. Go to JCPenney's and ask someone there to give you directions.
Along the way, feel free to ask people as they pass if they see it, or
if they passed it. Then they can tell you about how far, and you'll
have peace of mind that you are on the right track.

Sometimes, you will even find another person walking alone or with
kids or something going the same way who doesn't mind you walking with
her. Sometimes, you can have really great conversations and even meet
really good people this way. I have made some friends this way.

I hope this helps. If you want, let me know what mall it is, and I can
look up it's layout and give you more detailed explanation of the
layout. I can even get Mike to look at the map for definite layouts,
which leads me to the last suggestion. Sometimes, it's best to have
someone look at the map and either teach you the basics of the layout
(A is at the north end, B and C right there after it to the south, E
and F are side aisles in the center, and G H and I are mirror images
of the A, B, C but with Belk's). Or get the map blown up and have
someone use glue to raise the lines of the map. Then, use Braille
labels or bump dots to mark important locations, such as the
information booth, bathrooms, food court, your faviourte stores, etc.
A map can be enlarged easily by printing it out and putting it in a
copier machine. Gluing the parts into a folding piece of cardborad or
such will help it last, and then you have a portable map...really, I
should do this myself, but I've been lazy about it so far *blush*

~Jewel

On 5/7/10, Kerri Kosten <kerrik2006 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi:
>
> I have a couple of questions I am hoping some people on the list can
> help me with.
>
> First, my father owned a very very popular bar where I live called
> Crocketts. My father passed away a couple of months ago but the bar is
> still open. I went tonight for the first time since he passed away.
> Tonight was kereoke night and I had more fun than I've ever had just
> hanging out, listening to the different people sing or try to sing
> kereoke and just being around people.
>
> There is a similar bar called Coaches that has a kereoke thing every
> week just like Crocketts does that is very fun. I have never gone to
> this by myself but have gone with friends and really enjoyed it also
> for the same reasons...music, people, and just fun entertainment away
> from my house.
>
> At Crocketts, since my father owned the bar I am safe there. I sit at
> the bar (I don't drink) but I sit there anyway. The waitresses and
> bartenders all know me and frequently check on me to make sure
> everything is all right.
>
> However, at Coaches it is a diffferent story. I am not really known
> there, and when I've gone with friends we are usually seated at a
> table. The waitress comes around to serve drinks and food, but as soon
> as the bill is paid they leave and we are on our own.
>
> Here is where my question comes in. I would like to begin going to
> Coaches for their kereoke night. Getting there is no problem, but how
> do I manage the getting home part? I carry my Iphone with me, but the
> bar is so loud that it is impossible to hear anything to call a cab.
> Also, how do I know when the cab gets there? Again I usually have the
> driver call me when he arrives but again I wouldn't be able to hear my
> phone.
>
> At Crocketts since everyone knows me, I have someone guide me to the
> bathroom where it is quiet. I call a cab, and have them call Crocketts
> and tell whoever answers the phone that they are outside to pick me
> up. Of course this is no problem since everyone knows me at Crocketts.
>
> But, how do I manage this at Coaches? When I am ready to leave do I
> somehow flag the waitress down and have her help me to the bathroom,
> where I call the cab then wait in the bathroom for them to call me
> back?
> Waiting outside for the cab after I call would be kind of unsafe.
> Unfortunately, the friends that went with me before were from out of
> town and I don't have very many friends where i live that I could go
> with.
>
> Is it appropriate to ask the driver to come inside to let me know they
> are there...this way I don't have to wait outside?
> How do you guys handle this?
>
> I know it isn't probably the safest thing to go to bars by yourself
> but kereoke is a ton of fun and I know if I could figure out this
> getting home part I'd be fine.
>
>
> Also, I have another question. I would like to go to the mall/movies
> Saturday. Again, I'll most likely be by myself. I would like to get
> something to eat first in the food court in the mall, then go to the
> movie theater. Our mall is pretty big and spacious and spread out. It
> is all on one level but i am pretty sure the food court and the
> theater are at separate ends. How do I get from one place to the
> other?
>
> When I arrive at the mall, I plan to go to the information desk and
> get assistance to the food court. When I have finished eating how do I
> figure out how to get from the seating area to the movie theaters?
>
> Do I just start wandering around and asking random people for
> directions to the movie theater, then obtain assistance again at the
> movie theater to purchase a ticket, ETC to see the movie?
>
> Sorry for such a long email and so many dumb questions. Yes, I am the
> same girl who posted a few weeks ago about not having been taught in
> cane travel and wondering whether I should go to national convention.
> However, I am tired of sitting around, and want to go and do
> regardless of my skills and I figure the best way is to ask questions
> on here as needed and just grab my NFB cane and go!
>
> Kerri
>
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