I just had one of the best weekends of my life. Two days ago I was in this very location but on arrival. I was planning to surprise my sister who I hadn’t seen in months. The look on her face was well-worth the trip. However, like any perfect trips, it went by much too quick. Every moment brought me right down to this location and time. I am in the SMF Sacramento airport; every sound, smell, and site makes this experience what is – a nightmare.
I arrived early only to discover that my flight was delayed by three hours, thus destroying my great mood. As I make my way through security I watch everyone take their belongings off and place them into a rectangular plastic bin, which goes through a scanner. As I am near the front of the line the OCD side of me is freaking; everyone has to take off their shoes, and I have to walk on that floor afterwards. Then, I reevaluate and tell myself that it is only my feet. Finally, I couldn’t help but notice some people getting full body pat downs while I quickly grab my things to go on my way.
As I make my way to the terminal I can’t help but notice how many shops and food places are around me – they’re everywhere! Everywhere I looked made me want to raid the shops. They were perfectly done up to appeal to the many tourists. I, being one of those common tourists, walked into several. I managed to pull myself together and not buy anything. The way the designers of the shops know how to appeal to everyone’s inner desire to hastily spend without the acknowledgement is overwhelming.
There is a young baby with an obstinate cry that has been progressing for a good 15 minutes, in the distance. I wonder when the parents are going to take action to calm the baby down. I’m watching the sunset and the cl...
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...ed. I made a joke about how I didn’t think I needed to loss that much weight. She started laughing and she told me that I could order any drink I wanted and she returned shortly with a full can of sprite, excited because I didn’t get stuck with the tiny plastic cup that everyone else has. Before the flight attendant made her way to the front of the plane she quietly handed me a pillow. I am now comfortable, ready for takeoff.
I would rather fly than have to be stuck in a car for hours at a time. Airports can be stressful at times but when you wait patiently all the inconveniences somehow works its way out. Everyone has different experiences when they enter a airport. Some people experience jet lag or get cranky, like me, but as soon as you land all of the negative energy disappears. There is a world out there waiting to be discovered and airports make it possible.
From the moment a child is brought into this world the first thing the parent is waiting to hear is the child cry. That cry is one of the most precious thing a parent craves for upon the birth of their child. So how can something so valuable become as discouraged in society as that child gets older? Crying is a natural survival instinct which human being do to remove all the sadness, anger, frustration and pain inside them. It is a technique which has the same impact of a supercharged, calm down cocktail. The pressure on your diaphragm is lifted and your heart slows back to normal. This biological instinct releases endorphins which protects one’s eyes and calms one down [1]. But many people disagree with this scientifically proven fact.
I never predicted this beautiful trip ending up as a nightmare in my existence. I drove for approximately 40 minutes and my partner shared the driving for an additional 40 minutes. We were driving my friend mom’s brand new Toyota Camry XLE; one of the most comfortable cars I had ever been in. We enjoyed the elongated ride with new hit music, and air conditioning set to an exact temperature that met our necessities. On the way to the beach some doubts about going there started to circle around our minds, but the fact that we were about half way there made them a...
The anticipation of this day had been building up for some time over that last few months, and now it was upon me at last. I didn’t feel the same excitement I had leading up to this moment, I even kind of grumbled to myself about how I wished the bus was bigger so that I would be more comfortable. We all had our assigned seats, but no one seemed to be where they were supposed to be. The anxiousness of getting to Colorado was causing a great deal of confusion, chaos, and stress. The noise of everyone carrying on and yelling could be compared to the way a screaming crowed sounds at an AC/DC concert.
I walked into the front of the store to see a crowd of people searching for a good grocery cart. One that wouldn’t wobble every second that you pushed it. I took a look at many of the faces as they were beginning or ending their shopping experience. The people walking in looking for a cart seemed unsure or not pleased to be there in the first place. While the people leaving looked happy and eager to get home. I took this as a clear sign that this was not the most enjoyable place to ...
Whenever we go out shopping or relaxing at malls, we actually don’t see or recognize any effects of malls as we mostly go there for these two reasons. Malls are an integral part in the lives of America. They are shopping centers that have created a lot of buzz in many writers. This is because we have more malls in America than high schools. Malls have received praises from people like James J. Farrell, Jon Pahl and George Lewis who view malls as not only shopping centers but also as places that provide a reflection of the American culture and serve as centers of pleasure and entertainment. In contrast, William Kowinski and David Gutterson criticize malls for just being an artificial environment that creates disorientation among American shoppers. In my opinion, malls are just magnificent commercial buildings that create a sense of false dreams and imagination.
People everywhere are yelling in a distinct accent that I have come to recognize in my week here in Italy. As I walk down one of Florence’s many markets with my father, men and women alike are shouting out descriptive adjectives for their products in butchered English. They were just a part of the medley of noises around me. Tourists are laughing and clicking away at their cameras; drivers are slamming doors to their vans after dropping off the merchandise to the vendors. There is an energy in the air. Carts are inches away from each other, packed in one after another as far as my eighth grade eye can see. Looking around I see other American tourists looking annoyed by the enthusiastic salesmen, but I am in my place, shopping. I can’t wait to start buying presents for my family and myself. We had just stopped at a bank that morning and I am eager to spend my new euros. Unbeknownst to me though are the unspoken rules of the market place: bartering.
Goss argues that developers and designers of the built environment, specifically shopping centers and malls, use the power of place and understanding the structural layout of the space to boost consumption of the retail profits. Shopping centers are separated from the downtown area of shopping, either by distance and/or design. These establishments emerge for many to be the new heart and location for public and social life. In his article The "Magic of the Mall": An Analysis of Form, Function, and Meaning in the Contemporary Retail Built Environment, Goss also argues that the regulation of the spaces within the mall creates an atmosphere of "community" rather than one that is "public". This article’s main argument is that developers manufacture an illusion of doing more than just shopping when designing malls and shopping centers.
Does the thought of going through airport security make you want to jump off a bridge? Some people may think that security in airports is either too strict, or it is not enforced enough. Airport security has certainly developed over time, both in terms of more technology, and in terms of increased security. It has had a lot of reasons to step up, both with terrorist attacks, and with other incidents, such as the way that explosive technology has evolved. The topic of airport security is a big debate: is it too strict or not strict enough? It is important that people know and understand both sides of this important issue.
...ent form ranging from pubs, cafes, restaurants, coffee shops, swimming pools and so on; these spaces tend to be culture-specific. However, these space continue to use flânerie in order to engage consumers with the selling of goods. In the words of Benjaree, “it’s the appropriate mix of flânerie and third places that dictates the script for a successful public life.” For example, shopping centres are designed to encourage the state of idleness in terms of “hanging out.” Boutiques are present in both metropolitan and suburban areas, as well as a multitude of eateries to encourage people to “eat out.” More often than not, social contact, relaxation, leisure and entertainment all involve consumption of goods, whether it’s going to the cinemas, catching up with friends or simply taking a stroll, the individual is always a consumer when they are within the public sphere.
The heart begins racing the moment the car pulls into the airport parking lot. The smell of jet fuel, automobile exhaust, and hot tarmac combine to assault the senses with images of exotic escapes and the kind of freedom that can only come from airports. I feel the thrum of the engines at takeoff and the vibration of the plane during the flight in my skin. I see people listening to MP3s and playing video games. I hear the couple behind me chatting about the weather in Florida and the possibility of rain. I recognize the smell of fading perfume that women are wearing. Chanel, Windsong and White Diamonds clash with the smell of popcorn and Quizno sandwiches.
My heart was pounding as I boarded my flight leaving the Bangkok International Airport. A flight attendant in a grey dress with a red bow draped over her shoulder announced; “Welcome aboard flight AA350 to the United States.” My journey began that day.
The demand for aviation transportation has never been greater with airports playing a key role in the overall success of the air transportation system and for over 40 years the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has listed over 5,000 public use airports as being important to the public need for aviation services (Young & Wells, 2011, p. 10).
I walked into Starz hesitantly, looking for a corner seat. Air coming through the open door chilled the shop's interior, which was teeming with customers just fifteen minutes after the shop had opened. The stares from those already seated in the shop's green plastic chairs along the right wall, as well as from those getting haircuts frightened me a bit. It looked as if I didn’t belong. Th...
Last week, I found myself boarding a plane in Sydney bound for home in Melbourne at about 6:15pm. It was the end of a long day for me and clearly a long day for the hostesses who were scanning the boarding passes. They looked completely indifferent to the experience. Maybe it was their fourth flight for the day and maybe I am too critical. Regardless, I was paying the same airfare for my flight that the guy or girl did who got a smile from the same hostess's on the hostess's first flight that day.
Places such as coffee shops and lounges have been included in the structures of these malls to give consumers a more comfortable feeling of relaxation. Instead of shopping and leaving people are more enticed to sit back and relax. Enjoying a meal and a cup of coffee while shopping has become a time consuming yet enjoyable process for most shoppers. It's suggested that the longer a person stays the more money they are bound to spend. Mall managers and scientist are not attempting to manipulate the consumer but more so enhance their shopping experience. There's also a sense of creativity and connectivity found in calming environments such as coffee shops that establishments like shopping malls are trying to bring to the shopping