Thursday, August 14, 2008

Appleland


Welcome to Appleland, my home away from home.   Since I crossed over from the Dark Side (PC World)  this is where I make a pilgrimage every week for my One on One session with one of my "Mac Dudes".  They're great aren't they.   Always smiling,  knowledgeable and patient as all get out with all of us  "one on oners",  who I have come to realize are all around my age  ( think technically challenged and not as quick as we used to be).  You wouldn't be reading BADP right now had it not been for these guys.   I suspect, although I can't prove it, that there is a Valium salt lick in the employee lounge but don't quote me.  It's always such a happy place.  Kids playing Dora the Explorer at fever pitch,  on laptops at pint sized tables  while their parents wander the store with smiles on their faces, buying everything in sight.  Should you have a problem ( but you and I know Macs don't have those pesky problems other computers do) , there's the Genius Bar.  Belly up to that one and those folks will have you fixed up in no time.  There's no sagging economy in our Apple Store.   I drove up the other day and there was a line of people a block long waiting to get in.  We're talking folks camped in lawn chairs here.  For what?  Why a new IPhone of course!    BTW, you are very lucky to get this marginal photo today.  I was shooed off by the Mall Security Guard.  No photography allowed outside on the premises of this upscale outdoor mall.  Now I understand why the papparazzi lurk about in the bushes with their long lenses!

27 comments:

Tricia said...

Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving a comment on my page - and very cool tribute to Eddie Kendrick - I've loved the Temptations for so long, how can anyone NOT love them!!!

Anonymous said...

Please excuse my mistake - I left your 1st comment but I had forgotten to sign in, so that was me!

storyteller said...

Ah … my best friend crossed over some time ago as well … and spends lots of time visiting HER local ‘apple’ pusher too ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

Katie said...

Yay the Apple store! I'm actually taking Friday off and meeting my mom at the mall near her so I can go to the Apple store there. It's such a zoo at the Apple store in SF (and yes, there's a huge line there for iPhone customers too), and I want to look into getting an iPod Touch. There are lots of wi-fi zones in Paris and I could use it there!

No photos at the mall? That seems a bit much. I have a whole movie I took in the SF Apple store of a friend and me using the wacky photo booth feature on a hug iMac.

Virginia said...

Let me just say that this was a MALL SECURITY issue, not Apple's. EXCUUUSSSE ME! as Steve Martin use to say!HA

Katie said...

LOL Virginia! I love Steve Martin! Bummer that the mall security is so tight. glad it's not an Apple thing! Oh, and I see that above I should have said "huge iMac" and not "hug iMac" but I hug my iBook!

Ming the Merciless said...

HA! I haven't crossed over to the dark side yet mainly because most of my work stuff are on PCs and the IT people don't support MACs.

Virginia said...

No Ming! You are on the Dark Side. We all hope you will join us one day. :) It was the same in my school system. It was PC or nuttin'. So sad.

Laurie Allee said...

I'm waiting for my new Gateway laptop to arrive. Why do I now feel like I am drinking coke when I should really have a Pepsi?

(Or is it the other way around?)

I love this post, Virginia. May I quote you about the valium salt lick? :-)

Olivier said...

j'aime beaucoup le design des magasins d'Apple.

I love the design of Apple stores.

Julie said...

I am losing count of the number of times I have been shooed away when some officious little man sees that I am using my camera. One man - outside a mall - wanted me to erase the ones I had already taken but backed off when I said they were private property (the reasoning he used agin moi!!)

My son is pricing "coming into the light" for me ...

alice said...

I have both, PC and Mac. But these days, my Mac is out of work, hé hé! What dark side are you telling about, Virginia? ;-)
I think Mac are great (and the design is without any comparison)but now they are made in the same countries than PC and their quality is going down when their price stays the same...It's just my little opinion.

PJ said...

I don't have anything Apple, except for my organic apples from Ever'man's Coop. I'm not sure I'm ready for this, although my son could prolly help me.

Knoxville Girl said...

I love my Mac, but use PC at work. It's good to be "fluent" in both platforms. But the Mac's just more fun.
And btw, your photo is quite legal if it's in an area where the public is allowed to go, even on private property like a mall. They can ban you from the property, but need a court order to take your camera or photos.

Eki said...

THe elements you chose to frame in this picture are nice, V. The leaves, that white Apple symbol, and the clear square window fall nicely together. This picture reminds me of the Apple World that's just opened recently (about 6 months or so ago in Bandung).

Virginia said...

Alice,
Sorry your computer is out of whack. We all know what a bummer that can be. I am mainly referring to the ease of use with a Mac as compared to a PC. Once you learn it, it is so much more user friendly in my opinion.

Hilda said...

Drool…

I've been a Mac user since the early 90s and I have a Mac at work too — the only one in the entire administration unit. No problems integrating whatsoever. And so far (8 years and counting), I'm the only one who hasn't had a single virus infection. Aren't Macs just fantastic?! :)

Halcyon said...

Birmingham must be pretty big. I don't think we have an Apple store here in Jackson. I just got one of those new "dark side" computers. I must say I'm very pleased with it. But I can see what people like about Macs too.

Anonymous said...

You have a wonderful eye for photography.. I love taking my camera everywhere Im sure my husband thinks I am nuts.. I love all you pictures especially the ones on your photography website.. Thanks for sharing

dennis said...

Dennis blogs with a powerbook g4 laptop and always wears a tuxedo.

Janet said...

I haven't crossed over YET!
Gee. no pics at this mall? Much too exclusive for my tastes!

Virginia said...

Dennis, you're the cat's meow for sure! For my PC Pals, come on- you can do it!!!

Anonymous said...

Yay! i love Apple stores

• Eliane • said...

Tee hee, the Apple geeks are hip and cool and here in NYC, they are very cute. You nearly wish your computer had a problem. No, scratch that - i wouldn't want my laptop to remember I typed that. ;)

Rob said...

Soon they may have you paying rent. ;) I'm intrigued by this security chasing off us photographers. I've been booted out of numerous places too. Keep up with the anarchy, snap away until you're caught! Then go and by a super long lens.

Chris said...

LOVE Apples! Our first computer was an Apple IIE. . . .I had to have a PC for my store. . .HATE PCs. I'm back to Mac!

RaleighKat said...

Although we are dedicated PC users, the fun we are having with the I-phone can easily cause us to cross over. Although, I fear I'll be having one-on-ones regularly.

BTW I had read that it's possible to find out which stores had the phones on-line the night before. Then, after arriving at the store, as for a number and come back after the lawn chairs have been packed up.

I don't know how to create a link here, but I too have posted a photo of the Apple store where I bought mine. It's in this month's blog in Katonah.