Atrium etiquette
OK, another beginner's question: Atrium etiqutte.
When the pizza guy knocks, do I
1) already have the door to the atrium opened or ajar, assume he'll come in, and meet him at the sliding glass door?
2) Open the slider, yell out "It's unlocked!" and meet him at the sliding glass door?
[2b -rejected- buzz him in with the scary sounding buzzer the previous owner installed]
3) get on my shoes and meet him at the door, thereby negating the benefit of getting pizza delivered (not having to put my shoes on to get dinner)?
4) Some other combination of the above?
If I'm having friends over and know they're arriving soon, I might leave the atrium door open as an invitation to come on in. But then, does that mean I have to keep a slider open so I can hear them approach?
Any thoughts?
[2b -rejected- buzz him in with the scary sounding buzzer the previous owner installed]
I live in an atrium model in Willow Glen. You might not know that the buzzer which unlocks the atrium outer door is probably original--mine is. I keep my atrium door locked out of habit as I find it disconcerting to discover someone wondering around my atrium. (This has happened in the past a couple of times--delivery people and unwanted soliciting people.)
As for the "scary sounding buzzer" I don't find it any more or less offensive than the buzzers used to gain entrance to friends' condominums. To each his own.
Jake
P.S. I find it a godsend when it's raining as I can buzz my guests in (who are appropriately dressed for the weather) instead of donning boots and coat myself to go greet them.
As for the "scary sounding buzzer" I don't find it any more or less offensive than the buzzers used to gain entrance to friends' condominums. To each his own.
Yeah Jake, but you're not the one getting buzzed (well maybe on the weekends :) ). Anyway, you don't live in a six story condo with a beaten up 3" square aluminum intercom. The visitor's expectation is that the resident of this unassuming little tract house with will greet them with the warmth and hospitality of the hostess wearing the pleated skirt in the old Eichler ads. Let's call her Maureen.
So What Would Maureen Do? I think she'd don smart plastic covers over her Ferragamos, open the door with her left hand, cock her head to the right, and with her left foot raised ever so slightly, smile sweetly and greet the visitor, be they Jehovah's Witness or evening guest. Maureen has all the mod cons and doesn't order pizza. Anyway, Lenny works with his hands all day at Lockheed and he can't abide restaurant food.
What ever happened to door bells?. (maybe I am dating myself) :(
boberinucus,
I think you forgot to mention I should take care not to spill my afternoon martini on the way ;-)
Leslie,
I assumed fxlarry meant what to do after they rang the doorbell but perhaps that's incorrect. Yes, in my case, there is a doorbell. When it rings, I either walk to the outside atrium door and meet the person or, if it's inclimate weather or someone I know well (like my spouse), I might slack off and just buzz them in.
Jake
All,
Thanks for the replies, I feel mostly alot better now!
Jake, Thanks for the hint that the buzzer I have might be original equipment, it gives me a reason to try to get it working again (the buzz sounds, but the latch doesnt move, ah well, poor pizza guy).
I grew up in a house with an atrium (not an Eichler but similar to the one on I think page 67 of the latest eichler book-no general utility room). All we had was a doorbell at the front gate which was a shuttered door. We'd answer the door at the front gate but we always tried to peek thru the slats first to see who it was or sometimes asked who is it. It was usually kept locked. I notice in Balboa Highlands some folks leave their atrium door/gate open-seems like a security risk to me.
