Thursday, November 11, 2010

(Day 315) A different shopping experience

I'm not much of a shopper. If the world depended on people like me, the economy would remain mired in recession for years to come. I see it as a necessary evil. My typical shopping experience involves knowing what I need, (usually) making a beeline to where the item is located (or finding someone who can direct me there), paying for it, and leaving. The end. Full stop. The only variation in the routine comes when I (have to) go shopping with my wife. Then I get to drive the cart and provide helpful suggestions like "I think we have everything now".

Tonight I drove to the nearby outdoor mall, willingly, on my own (well, Sasha came along because she loves rides to anywhere). No, I didn't actually go shopping. This mall must have been built during more positive economic times - instead of just the usual asphalt jungle, the builder created a much more pleasing environment. See what you think.

(18-55mm  f5.6  1.3 sec  ISO200)

23 comments:

Lisa said...

I want to go shopping. I do love shopping but your image is beuatiful . Just beautiful. I love the palms and when I saw them again last winter I took too many photos of palms. I was in heaven.
Rich thanks for the well wishes. Im still under the weather but trying to keep up.
Have a wonderful time with the family. You deserve it.

Rick said...

@Lisa RedWillow - thank you Lisa - I know what you mean about palms; they're a little like sunsets - can you ever have enough ? Hope you'll be feeling back to 'normal' soon.

darlin said...

This is stunning Rick, it looks like a movie setting!

ju-north said...

That looks a good place to go to! Men and women approach shopping in a different way, but that's another story!

Katherine said...

Palm trees make wonderful photographic subjects, don't they Rick~!
I absolutely hate grocery shopping, it's painful & I hate having to go home and trudge all the bags upstairs to the kitchen & then unpacking it all. I used to like shopping for clothes but not so much now that there is more of me to dress!!
I do however really enjoy browsing around in book stores, quaint little gift shops & antique shops!! I very rarely spend up big but I do love to look!

The Whimsical Gardener said...

Definitely not your typical American mall! It's pleasing that architects are moving toward more aesthetically pleasing elements in their designs. We have a new outdoor mall with lots of open spaces and landscaping and it's very nice - almost park-like as your photo shows. Beauty of a shot, btw.

What Karen Sees said...

After growing up in California, I love palm trees of every kind!!! I don't know if this is true, but somewhere I heard there was an initiative under way to remove all the palms from southern Calif because they are not native. I hope this was just a rumor, because I can't imagine such a thing!

Alexander DeLarge said...

Rick,
I'm so sorry I couldn't comment on your last pictures, I have been very sick these days. Let me tell you that they are as wonderful as they always have been.

Alex.

Dagmar said...

Ohhh you live in a wallhalla....(is this dutch?) we don't have malls like you have...and I love them, can spend hours on a row there.
But I do need to thank this builder...the surroundings here are beautiful.
Hugs Dagmar

marty said...

la vie est belle Rick ?? des vacances de
rêve, au soleil, sous les palmiers !!
alors une heure ou deux de shopping pour
faire plaisir à ta femme c'est cool non ??
bisous d'une France pluvieuse et grise !!!

Lisa Gordon said...

That first paragraph so made me smile! This really is something that we surely don't have here. What an experience, and great photograph opportunity.

Thank you for the smiles!!

lisa.

S. Etole said...

They certainly provided a beautiful atmosphere there.

Anonymous said...

This photo is awesomely composed. Lovely contrast.

Michelle said...

This looks lovely. Nice shopping area.

Rick said...

@darlin - thank you - and to think this is just a mall !

@ju-north - it actually gives me something nice to look at when I HAVE to go ! And you're right about the different approaches to shopping by men & women !

@Katherine - I was saying to my wife that people who grow up surrounded by palm trees are probably wondering what all the fuss is about - but I think they're wonderful ! And shopping - yep, necessary evil (but I guess it beats hunting and foraging ;-) I do have a bit of a weakness for bookstores ...

Unknown said...

Same thing I do when I go shopping - I usually research everything online before I go to a mall, that way I can spend the least time possible in such an institution . . . LOL

Greetz,

Joseph

Rick said...

@CarreraCaballo - I agree wholeheartedly Joseph ! Although this mall is at least pleasant to visit - on the outside !

Rick said...

The Whimsical Gardener - thank you Cat; yes, enough of the asphalt jungles alone - I hope malls like the one pictured become more the norm.

@Karen - I wasn't aware that there was such variety among palms ! Sure hope that's only a bad rumour for California - maybe the Terminator can terminate the rumour !

@Alexander DeLarge - fully understood Alex. Thank you, and hope you're doing much better !

Rick said...

@Barefoot from Heaven - that must be Norwegian (Vikings ?) ! I'm not a mall person, but I could spend time at this one - outdoors ! Fijne zondag Dag.

@marty - oui Marty, la vie est tres belle ! Even if I have to make a small shopping sacrifice ! Merci et plein de bisous ! Stay warm !

@lisa - thank you Lisa ! And you're welcome too ;-)

Rick said...

@S. Etole - yes, likely with an ulterior motive.

@M. Hassan - thank you M - hope your weekend is going well. How is the hunt for a camera going ?

@Farmchick - thank you; it's a great place for photography. Oh, and shopping. I guess ;-)

Anonymous said...

No camera hunt at this moment, out of money. Infact I don't own a camera at all. I'm now using photos from the past :(

Rick said...

@M. Hassan - perhaps you can borrow a camera, make a number of photos that you can sell and use the proceeds to buy the camera. Or borrow funds from your girlfriend or in-laws on the same basis - that might get you started.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Rick! Sound more simple than it really is. Difficult to get money from anyone these days, but I'm hoping for a job soon. That's the easiest way to get a camera and I would be doing it with dignity :)