So I haven't been officially tagged for this meme in which you are to create your own mall, but Rebekah at Sweet Tea with Lemon wrote "I’m not sure who to tag, so if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged". So, thank you, Rebekah and don't mind if I do. Like her, I live in a town where the closes mall is over an hour away, so this will be a delightful little daydream.
Here’s the rules: You get to
create your own Mall. Choose 6 stores that would definitely be included
in your ideal one stop mall. Then as a bonus you can pick your favorite
restaurant and fast food eatery to be located there, too. After you’ve
created it, post it and tag some bloggers to join in the fun.
1. NORDSTROM I choose this store for a multitude of pleasures it offers and few of them require spending any money.
First, there is most always a skilled pianist playing classics and show tunes on the bottom floor. It always relaxes me from the moment I walk in.
Second, there are always cozy love seat sofas and armchairs nearby the piano, a wonderful respite from my walk around the mall.
Third, the restroom. Nordstrom has the best department store restroom I've ever encountered. It has cushy couches in the roomy lounge and a separate lounge for nursing mothers.
Fourth, the coffee shop. I don't know if they still do this or not, but when I lived in Southern California, I could get a mug of Starbucks coffee for 25 cents at the Nordstrom cafe. It was refillable and I could sit outside on the patio with a beautiful view. FOR A QUARTER!
Fifth, the fashions. From the flirty and fun to the sophisticated to the bizarre - all terribly out of my price range except for
Sixth, the sale racks. They have some great bargains on fashions I otherwise couldn't afford to touch.
2. NEIMAN MARCUS Ah, this store is interesting. Unlike Nordstrom, which has a good variety of price ranges, Neiman's has only two: Exorbitant and astronomical. But their store displays are sometimes breathtaking and always interesting. Once, the halls were teeming with white butterflies and small mirrors that cascaded overhead as you rose up through the escalators bathed in white feathers and sparkles. It really took my breath away. Also, they have the best chocolate chip cookies ever.
3. BROOKSTONE or THE SHARPER IMAGE. I can't tell these two stores apart so it doesn't matter which. The important thing is that both of these two stores sport massage chairs that rock my world. Some day, I may actually buy one. In the meantime, I always stop by for a massage, you know, just to be sure I still like it.
4. BARNES AND NOBLE I wonder how many hours I have spent huddled in a corner of this store (because, though they have chairs aplenty there are always people aplenty filling them for hours, like I would be if I could only find an empty one).
5. a FLOWER KIOSK. See, we have florists in this little village I call home. But sometimes, I don't want a florist, I just want flowers. Maybe I only want one flower. Or I want five flowers that don't match - a bloom for every room. I want options, see. I want to make my own bouquet based on what blooms are right there in front of me at my fingertips. Um, did I sound terse about that?
6. WHOLE FOODS Yeah, yeah, I know. It's a mall and this isn't realistic. But it's MY mall and I want to buy Nag Champa incense, Batherapy salts in BULK, Humboldt fog cheese, pancetta and organic Endangered Species chocolate. Come to think of it, their floral dept. is outstanding which means I don't need the flower kiosk. But it will make a nice visual there by the indoor waterfall, so, it stays.
And now, the food court....If I'm in the mood for a traditional lunch, the Neiman Marcus cafe is excellent (Monkey Bread and popovers!) But I think I need some all you can eat sushi so this mall gets a Todai. You may think that an all you can eat sushi place could not be of very good quality. But you may be wrong. Todai. Today. I'll also require a Jamba Juice. Oh, how I miss Jamba! And finally, where oh where has Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor gone? I'm so sad they have all disappeared. All but one. Tragic! I worked for them off and on for almost ten years. I want Pumpkin to experience some good old fashioned gay 90s family fun (remember when gay meant happy?) so we're bringing back Farrell's!
oh - and across the street from the mall....a dog park. Huge, green, flat and joyful with activity.
Now, since I wasn't tagged in particular, I will also tag anybody who actually made it a) to my blog and then b) to the end of this post. Do let me know if that's you but I'm not holding my breath.
