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Alexandra Collins
11-25-2019, 03:16 PM
Sorry this story is so long, but you'll see why when you hear about all the details I need to convey to explain how traumatic the evening was. (exaggerating of course)

I got out dressed on Saturday night with my partner Lisa to have dinner at a very nice restaurant with a small group of CD/TG/GG friends. It was fun to meet with everyone, good conversation, but.......

I guess it finally had to happen, and in my case 14 was my unlucky number (it was my 14th time out dressed since I started going out in July last year). It started going bad when parking was tight and we had to park quite a ways from the restaurant in underground parking at the Galleria (a large upscale shopping mall in Houston). It got really bad when I soon realized during the long walk that my new 4.5 inch heels were the most uncomfortable heels I've ever worn, and I've worn some taller heels out before, trust me. Then it got even worse when we came up to ground level and we couldn't find the restaurant, so more walking among a lot of people, with my feet killing me. After a phone call to the GNO organizer (https://www.crossdressers.com/forums/member.php?129317-Aunt-Kelly), who is already at the restaurant, to ask where the restaurant is, we discover it's on the second level, and we are to take the elevator that brings you up to where there's a Starbucks, and the restaurant is right across from the Starbucks. So we find the elevator, but a security person standing in front of it tells us it is out of commission, so use the nearest escalator that she points to around a corner, so we cannot see it from where we're currently standing. At this point my mind set was that this night was cursed, and this was some trick Kelly was playing on me. So we walk another few hundred feet but manage to find the escalator, and go up, and the restaurant is finally in sight, we make it, greet the others, and sit down.

My feet are screaming in pain, but I'm trying not to show it. After quite a bit of conversation, and drinks, we order our food, and now I need to pee (badly), and now is my chance to go. I ask others at the table where the bathroom is, but on my way there I'm told by staff that both their bathrooms are out of commission because of renovations! I ask what my options are and the person says something I don't fully catch about a bathroom and the Starbucks in the mall beside the restaurant, or a bathroom on the 4th level above the restaurant in the hotel which this restaurant is a part of (Westin Hotel), and there's an elevator I can take (but is this the one that we just discovered was out of commission I'm thinking to myself). So, with my feet screaming I walked to the Starbucks across from the restaurant to use their bathroom, only to discover after walking all around it, they don't have a bathroom. So I walk back to the restaurant and ask what gives, and they tell me I have to go around the Starbucks to get to the public bathroom in the mall, and one of the restaurant workers walks with me to get me going in the right direction and so she can point to it once the sign comes into view.

So I'm left to walk a few hundred feet to the ladies bathroom in the mall, my feet screaming. I've been in ladies rooms before, so I thought the worst was over finally. But I was wrong. Inside the bathroom was a mess, and there are a ton of mothers with young daughters in there, talking loudly, and seemingly viewing the bathroom as a place to hang out, socialize and play. This is the first time I've been in a ladies room with children, and it's a bit scary, thinking one of them is going to say out loud: it's a man! Thankfully that didn't happen, so I look for a stall, and naturally in the closest one the toilet is plugged up with %$#@. So I try the next one, and it's OK, except the latch doesn't work so I cannot secure the door. But I'm desperate and use it, and took my time pulling all the layers of clothing up and down as required, since I'm not in rush, but hoping the mothers and children will leave before I'm done if I take my time. But no, they don't leave. So I come out, wash my hands, trying to avoid eye contact with everyone, and there is one paper towel dispenser (empty) and two air blowers (neither work). So I have to leave with wet hands because I didn't want to prolong my time in there going to a stall to find toilet paper.

Now it's just the long walk back to the restaurant through the mall and I can finally relax. As I re-enter the restaurant, a woman who seems like the manager asks me something like "So is everything OK now?". I snapped, and explained how the public toilet was a mess, that they should know the condition of a bathroom before they send their patrons there, and why didn't they renovate their bathrooms one at a time, so they would always have one working in the restaurant. In the middle of giving her an earful, I remember how I'm dressed, and I only have one voice, a man's voice, so there's no doubt who I am. But to her credit and the nearby employees who were in ear shot, none of them said a bad word to me in return, but just apologized. So then I got back to our table, and no one there saw or heard any of this, so they innocently asked me if I found a bathroom OK, and I'm sure I sounded like a jerk/baby explaining how annoyed and in pain I was.

That's about it, I took my shoes off while we ate, and we were able to get back to our car in a more direct route with the help of someone in our group, and my feet made it OK this time, after the rest during the meal.

Funny thing is I think I looked pretty good, I did my own makeup, and I wore a LBD that Lisa bought for me from Banana Republic about 6 months ago, but I've never worn it out before. Oh, and the heels looked awesome, that is when they were on my feet, as opposed to under my seat during the meal giving my toes a chance to stop throbbing.

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Photo taken at home just before leaving for the restaurant.

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Photo taken at home just after returning from the restaurant.

Jodi
11-25-2019, 03:29 PM
I think that restaurant could be in big trouble with the local health dept for operating an establishment without rest rooms.

Jodi

Micki_Finn
11-25-2019, 03:41 PM
I think that restaurant could be in big trouble with the local health dept for operating an establishment without rest rooms.

Jodi

This was my thought.

Alexandra Collins
11-25-2019, 03:52 PM
Just to clear up the "legal" side of this: as I mentioned, this is a restaurant inside a hotel, that is part of the mall. And the hotel had a working bathroom 2 floors up that I could have used, but I didn't because it sounded like getting to it was going to be more of a hassle than the one in the mall I used. So I suspect the restaurant/hotel was in keeping with the law?

Robertacd
11-25-2019, 03:59 PM
Restroom requirements vary by municipality... But I am willing to bet as long as there's one in the same building they are okay. It is common here for business in strip malls to share restrooms here, not every business is required to have their own public restroom....

Anyway I hope you have learned your lesson about wearing a new pair of shoes out on the town without testing them first.

I almost did the same thing last Saturday night. I was all ready to go out in my new high heel pumps. But I after walking around the house waiting for my wife to get ready. I could tell my feet were going to slide forward and pinch my toes, so I had to change rather than risk it

Amy Lynn3
11-25-2019, 04:18 PM
I love your heels. If they ever get to a point they hurt your feet too much, you may want to give them to someone who loves them:love:

BLUE ORCHID
11-25-2019, 04:48 PM
Hi Alexandra :hugs:, You look very lovely in that outfit. >Orchid ..0:daydreaming:0..

Princess Chantal
11-25-2019, 05:40 PM
You look fabulous! Very interesting that no one at your table joined you in the jaunt to the restrooms....

ellbee
11-25-2019, 06:45 PM
Oh, how flats are so underrated! I learned that lesson the hard way, long ago. :heehee:

BTW, some GG's carry a pair that you can roll up & put in your purse -- you know, should they need them when they're out & about in heels. ;)



Anyway, I understand you were upset & in pain, but please try not to take it out on the employees wherever it may be. :(

Unless, of course, you want to star in a viral video on YouTube, seen by millions...? :devil:

Alexandra Collins
11-25-2019, 07:05 PM
Anyway I hope you have learned your lesson about wearing a new pair of shoes out on the town without testing them first.

I did try them at the shoe store and at home, but obviously not long enough.

- - - Updated - - -


I love your heels. If they ever get to a point they hurt your feet too much, you may want to give them to someone who loves them:love:

They are still good for when I don't have to walk too far.

- - - Updated - - -


Oh, how flats are so underrated! I learned that lesson the hard way, long ago. :heehee:

BTW, some GG's carry a pair that you can roll up & put in your purse -- you know, should they need them when they're out & about in heels. ;)



Anyway, I understand you were upset & in pain, but please try not to take it out on the employees wherever it may be. :(

Unless, of course, you want to star in a viral video on YouTube, seen by millions...? :devil:

I agree, I need to carry a pair of flats in my purse.

Although in this case they deserved to be told off, avoiding be caught in a viral video is good advice!

1958Candi
11-25-2019, 07:19 PM
Love love love the shoes!!!!They are worth the pain.

alwayshave
11-25-2019, 07:40 PM
Alexandra, You look great. Sorry about your restroom saga.

Robin-in-TX
11-25-2019, 07:44 PM
Fun story and you look great. I could never wear those shoes. I envy you.

Robin

michelleddg
11-25-2019, 08:16 PM
You looked fabulous Ms. Alexandra, think of the evening as having all your misfortunes for the year happening at once as opposed being spread out over 12 months. Hugs, Michelle

Patience
11-25-2019, 08:23 PM
I love your heels. If they ever get to a point they hurt your feet too much, you may want to give them to someone who loves them:love: Ah, but will the heels love that person back? That's the question.

The lesson here is to always bring a backup pair of shoes. There's no outing, no matter how perfect, that can't be completely ruined by uncomfortable footwear.

Stephanie47
11-25-2019, 08:32 PM
I have to second the recommendation to carry a pair of flats. Rather wear the flats to the venue (restaurant) and change into the heels. When I take evening strolls I wear a wedge with a two inch heel. They are much more comfortable. Sidewalks are murder on heels too. And, on rare occasion I have seen women abandon any footwear and walk barefoot or in only hosiery rather than wreck their feet. BTW you look lovely and the heels are a killer in more ways than one.

Lana Mae
11-25-2019, 09:05 PM
Alexandra, you look lovely and the shoes look so nice but not so nice if they hurt your feet! Sorry, you had so many problems! The Houston GNO I attended was calm and very nice! I even got my first kiss(on the cheek)when dressed, there!! Best wishes for better luck next time! I live in NC and seriously doubt there will be a next time! Hugs Lana Mae

Julie Slowinski
11-25-2019, 09:05 PM
First off, you?re gorgeous in that outfit and I can see why you risked it with new heels, cuz them girls totally fabulous.

One of the reasons I?m usually with a gargantuan purse is so that I have room for emergency flats. Outfit with small purse or clutch = tried and true heels.

TheHiddenMe
11-25-2019, 10:32 PM
You look great, the dress and heels are fabulous, and you now have both a lesson learned and a story to tell.

And even with a bathroom full of moms and kids, there wasn't an issue--something many on the board need to read to give them confidence.

Sandy Clifton
11-26-2019, 01:32 AM
Ouch, sorry to hear about your rough outing.
You do look great, if that's some consolation.

I too learned the flats lesson the hard way
(though sometimes I still don't heed it).

Rhonda Darling
11-26-2019, 05:35 AM
First, you look amazing, the shoes are gorgeous, and I would likely done as you did and struggled to get through the night despite the pain.

Second, I’m reminded of an old comedy bit by comedian Steve Martin: “The Cruel Shoes”. You can find the audio of it on line, but the lyrics are a short read here: https://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/steve_martin/cruel_shoes.html and are well worth your time. (Vanity, thy name is “woman”.)

Aunt Kelly
11-26-2019, 09:05 AM
Alexandra _always_ looks fabulous. While the venue and the food were great, not having restrooms on prem is inexcusable. To be fair, the facilities in the adjacent hotel were quite nice, though a short hike and an elevator ride away.
This time of year, The Galleria is always jammed, and they should have adjusted for the demand on their public restrooms. That mall was once high end. It definitely is not any longer.

Meghan4now
11-26-2019, 09:33 AM
Do not assume that flats are better. You can also have issues with them. My worst shoe experience was a couple of years back. I was working a booth at pride and had a two + mile hike from my parking lot to location. I took flats and carried my heels, trying to be smart. But they rubbed horribly, and gave me bad blisters. I ended up barefoot in the city.

Now I carry a couple of band-aids in my purse and donated a first aid kit for the booth. Be prepared!

Teresa
11-26-2019, 12:09 PM
Alexandra,
I'm sorry it went a little pear shaped for you , it's so unnerving to make the effort only to find something lets you down . I guess we all learn what GGs go through now , no wonder you see so many heels kicked off under the table during a meal or a pause in the music at a dance .

I don't find falts the answer but accept a little caution and drop my heel size a little .

I've only had a brief two hour stop over in Houston while we were waiting for a connecting flight to Salt Lake City , we managed to grab a meal somewhere but I can't remember the name of the place , I know it was a large Mall the taxi driver dropped us at .

All down to experience hopefully next time it goes better for you , we still don't do enough GNOs , I've tried so hard to get them off the ground but it's always the same story people start to chicken out leaving you with a little egg on your face .

Jeri Ann
11-27-2019, 09:56 AM
Alexandra,

Google Vivian Lou. If you must wear heels, their product will help.

Molly Wells
11-27-2019, 03:10 PM
I give you all bonus points for going to the Galleria. I know how busy it is and have yet to work up the courage to go there. Probably someday but it still seems a little scary for me.

Hugs,
Molly

Territx
11-27-2019, 04:41 PM
I know that it seems bad, but I think Michelle is right -- just chalk it up to a bunch of things happening at the same time. I want to go with you on the next outing because the odds of good things happening should definitively be more in your favor. :)

PS. Jeri Ann - I hope you own stock in that company because I am sure that a lot of us will be headed to their website! :heehee:

MissSixties
11-27-2019, 04:53 PM
you looked amazing Alexandra!

Aunt Kelly
11-27-2019, 10:48 PM
It's just like anywhere else inside the loop (or almost inside it), just more crowded. Everybody is so into their own thing that even mu big-ass, 6 foot self goes mostly unnoticed. During dinner, one of the two large parties that came in was seated ten feet from our table. Not once they give us a second glance until one of us said something a little louder, in a voice that didn't match that table full of ladies. We got a couple of double takes as our neighbors finally clocked us. And that was it.

JenniferMBlack
11-28-2019, 01:24 AM
Alexandra you look really nice in your lovely outfit. Unfortunate turn of events for you. Sadly those happen regardless how we dress. Hope at least the meal and the company were worth all the problems.
As for health department and the bathroom it generally states any place serving food must have restroom facilities in the building. Nothing about how close they need to be just they are there. With it being at/in a mall and or hotel they would be covered.

Teresa
11-28-2019, 02:11 PM
JenniferMBlack,
Does that also apply to disabled facilities ? If in doubt I've used those on occasions , no one has ever objected .