Saturday, October 2, 2021

Too Peopley Outside

Deciding to walk the indoor mall today, rather than the campus, was both a good and bad idea.

Good, because there were interesting sights to see.

Bad, because the mall was too peopley.

It appears the sightseers that pre-pandemic populated the outlet mall — sightseers usually coming from out-of-town or out-of-the-country, are back.

So peopley that there were lines and limits as to how many people could get into the ever-popular Rainforest Cafe.

The alligator out front continues to fascinate.


There were long lines and limited entrance also to the Disney Store, the Torey Burch handbag outlet, et al.

Long lines at the Disney Store, I can understand — kids, toys, costumes.

Long lines at Torey Burch, I don’t get because, from what I see in the window, everything is old fashioned, ugly, and overpriced.

Oh well, to each his/her own.

Though I felt relatively safe, being as how I’m vaccinated and wearing a mask, I nevertheless tried my best to keep my distance and only managed a mile and a half of walking, because working my way around folks was slow going — not to mention I was distracted by things to see.

Like this cardboard guy, that if I had room I’d have surely taken him home.


I paused the walk to watch Barbie pop some wheelies.


Then there was a new take on the old Claw machine that drew a crowd of onlookers — you know, the old arcade claw machine that kids operate with a joy stick to capture one of the stuffed animals piled up inside the plexiglass.

The new take is that the plexiglass is dispensed with and the child becomes the claw.


If I were to describe today’s outing as too peopley and a circus, that would be true both figuratively and literally because, outside on the parking lot, was an actual circus — animal free.


Since I was in the area, with my recertification coming up, middle of the month, I jotted down the name of a few apartment buildings I passed, to research price and reviews on management, just in case this time comes up worst case scenario, in that I’m deemed over-income and will have 30 days thereafter to move.

I’d like to stay within driving distance of the Pain Cave, so I can continue working out.

To that end I’ve also been researching the five “luxury” nearby apartment buildings. All are in the price range of making me house poor, four of the five are an absolute NO, because of the reviews — not only terrible office staff, but terrible maintenance and safety issues, both property and person. The one remaining isn’t ideal, but a possibility.

I’d really hate to leave the area but, if push comes to shove, I’ll go where the tide takes me.

At any rate, though this place isn’t perfect — management sucks, but that seems to be the norm ... even in high priced luxury buildings. At least here, the rent is cheap. So, I’m hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

26 comments:

  1. Sounds like an adventurous day. Weekends might be more peopley than than weekdays. Hope you don't have to move, but knowing what's out there is good. Our Rainforest Cafe closed years ago. It's a cool place to feel like a kid again, with pretty decent food. Linda in Kansas

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    1. I've only been to the Rainforest once, and that was at least 20 years ago, when I wasn't even living in the area, was just visiting. Don't even remember what kind of food they serve, but it's enormously popular here.

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    2. Why is it there are so many problems with management. Is it really corporate creating the problems? Are they only hiring managers with no personality? I can't figure out why there are so many problems.

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    3. Probably a combination of Corporate and the people they hire. Corporate wants money coming in, but want to keep expenditures low. Management, in order to keep their jobs, have to please Corporate at the expense of residents. We had three managers that were nice to us, tried to get Corporate to do right by us. Two quit within months, because they had a conscious. The other with a conscious was fired. I imagine it's the same with the places I've looked into that have bad reviews.

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  2. Good grief! The Disney Store and Rain Forest Cafe?!?!?! I thought they were long extinct. Havn't seen either of them in almost 9/10 years ago now around here.

    I haven't been in a mall since the pandemic started. I don't miss them.

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    1. Most of my shopping is done online. I only go to the mall when I need to walk in a nice cool air conditioned place or want to people watch. Interesting that Disney and Rainforest are extinct in your area.

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    2. Fresno never had a RAinforest Cafe and the Disney store is closing because Target is going to expand the Disney offerings in their stores.

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    3. The Rainforest in the Ontario Mills Mall is actually the only location I know of. That's one of the reasons folks travel to this mall. That's surprising about the Disney line going to Target.

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  3. Too peopley is a good description for outside in general. That's why I'll go for a walk at 11PM. My local Walgreens was open 24 hours. I used to go get my drugs on my walk. Now they close at 11PM. So If I want to get stuff I have to leave around 10 when it's still too peopley.

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    1. You must live in a really safe area, to be out walking that late. No worries of being mugged or being hassled/beat up/murdered by the cops simply for walking ... if you know what I mean.

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    2. Sadly I know what you mean.

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  4. Too peopley is my daughter's favorite words.
    That human claw machine, I'd hate to turn my grandsons loose on it. That might get interesting.

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    1. That claw machine looked like so much fun. If they build an adult version, with something other than stuffed toys, I'd go for it.

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  5. Replies
    1. :-) but I can't take credit for it. I'm sure I've heard that word before and, when I needed a title for this post, peopley came up.

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  6. It seems that the children are able to get more toys than the usual "claw" would have given them! I bet they love it.

    How long have you been in your current unit? I know you mentioned you are likely to be over income to qualify much longer. We have been in this house for over 19 years and I dread downsizing.

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    1. I wondered if there was a limit when I saw that little girl initially grabbing an arm full; but you can tell by the look on her face, when she looked up at her audience, that she was having a ball. Living here 9 years and what's slowly pushing me over are the annual cost of living raises I'm getting on my sources of income. I hear you about downsizing because some of the residents I've met here have gone into culture shock over what they could not fit into their units They hold on though, and store furnishings in the car garage, floor to ceiling.

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  7. I like the new picture on top.
    I've been looking at other apartment complexes for years and either they are in bad parts of town, have horrible reviews or just not in my price range.

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    1. The pretty much sums up what I'm seeing. The really nice places are waaaay too expensive, the affordable ones are run down buildings in bad areas with terrible reviews.

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  8. I haven't been inside the mall since Covid. Well Walmart but they have a separate door into it

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    1. Walmart is one of two places I'm not yet ready to trust tackling again. It was waaay too crowded and chaotic in there even before the pandemic, so I can't imagine now. Costco is the other place.

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  9. Most public places and attractions I've been to recently seem the same as pre-covid crowd-wise. I'm assuming most of the people are vaccinated?
    I like your new banner up top, and good luck with your housing situation! Keep us posted.

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    1. I wouldn't count on most people being vaccinated. That's why I still wear a mask and, insofar as possible, keep my distance.

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  10. Hoping for the Best while preparing for the Worst is what I think most of us are always doing now. The Malls here have had long lines at some stores that limit access of how many Customers are allowed inside to make it somewhat mitigated for Pandemic Protocol. But I agree, at some Boutiques with high end ugly Merch I just don't get it... I don't understand why anyone shops there at all, let alone stand in a line to be able to do it.

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  11. I have wanted to go to JC Penneys which is at our large mall but concerned about all the people so haven't made the trip. I did go last spring, to that mall, when I had to replace my iPhone as the only Apple store in the Valley is in that mall.

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    1. Glad you stopped by. Wanted to let you know I can read your blog, but can no longer comment since long time, whenever it was I last commented. It's something to do with Wordpress and, I recently learned, others on blogspot are having trouble commenting on Wordpress blogs. Perhaps the problem will one day mysteriously disappear, as it mysteriously appeared.

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