>>>>What we did also worked in terms of building good relationships. Both call when they need information or guidance, and listen to our advice. (Nathaniel, the 22-year-old, called from Manhattan a few weeks back for the "Mom-ernet." <g> Could I help him find a coffee shop near Washington Square?)
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>>>Worked both ways. I had the honor of guiding a daughter or two - me Google maps, she cell phone - but then was also in a situation where it was the other way around, me calling home "OK I'm at the corner of so-and-so, where's that bank now, I'm facing south".
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>>Yeah, I think we've done that once or twice.
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>Amazingly, though, that effect of the maps... they sort of take away the thrill of exploring the 'hood, but with the American love of blind alleys combined with distances it may be a very frustrating sport. Part of learning the area is "if I take a right now, where'd I get", and too often it may not get you anywhere.
>

When we first moved into this neighborhood, we did lots of walking in the evenings, and I made a habit of turning down side streets until I built a really good mental map. I do worry that having a GPS available cuts down on that kind of mental exercise. OTOH, I'm in no hurry to get rid of my GPS. While I don't use it for local stuff, it's really useful when I get outside my own neighborhood.

Tamar