We are having a family outing at a mall because Klara is teething and keeping her at home with no special entertainment would be cruel. But while we are being typically American, here is a photo of a car with weird wheels for your entertainment.
I find these typically American Midwestern weekends to be indescribably enjoyable. We are at a Barnes and Noble now. Then we’ll go for weird ice-cream, visit Yankee Candle, a Teavana and an Ulta. And we’ll have lunch at Olive Garden because we want to be typical until the end.
The added enjoyment is derived from the game we call “Imagine if we saw this while back in the USSR.” Good times.
Clarissa's Blog 
Don’t they have a Talanya’s nearby you? Their cheese garlic bread is to die for.
Oh, and you can pimp out your golf cart too, this is America, after all.
http://www.everythingcarts.com/p-542-8-inch-ss-chrome-wheel-cover.aspx?gclid=Cj0KEQjw2LjGBRDYm9jj5JSxiJcBEiQAwKWACxkT37rPBvmTlMzdlFrzglhzDFej_6Il85wB31mxKoUaAnMX8P8HAQ
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Hilarious about golf carts.
I never heard of Talanya’s. But oh, I love cheese garlic bread.
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I have this feeling of nostalgia for something I haven’t even experienced when I hear about the ‘mall culture’ of kids growing up here in the US. L tells me how her mom would drop her at the mall, and she and her friends would just hang out all evening, people-watching. I think that’s so fucking cool. I had a great childhood and we’d be out all day playing cricket or football, but that’s not quite the same. I would’ve loved to do something like this as a teenager. Just hang out in a sort of crowded but safe place.
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I think it might be a SoCal or a 1980s thing. Teens in my neighborhood either worked at the mall for money or they spent all of their time going from after school clubs, sports or to do a shit ton of homework. I was only allowed to drive as a teen because my parents got sick of picking me up after school, and I didn’t even do that many activities.
“Let’s go chill at Eat N Park/coffeehouse in the city/walk down to the Breugger’s Bagels” was more likely to happen.
This idea of “we’ll let you loose in the mall” or “let’s go drive to the mall to hang out” was something that happened only in movies.
Suburbia had acute disadvantages.
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She grew up in Glendale, CA. And yeah, I don’t think it was that frequent, more like a treat.
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I’m too old for the young teen at the mall experience, but this is what I remember them being like (lots of embarassing 80’s-90’s fashion ahead)
https://www.facebook.com/pg/rumur/photos/?tab=album&album_id=424148783767
What’s great is the broad cross-section of everybody, young, middle aged and old, different economic levels and different ethno-racial groups. Despite the total manipulation involved in their construction, at their best they had something of a town square atmosphere.
Apparently that’s all gone though I don’t have any idea what they’re like now.
I found those pictures through this interesting blog (though many posts at that sight are kind of objectionable).
http://akinokure.blogspot.com/2011/09/when-old-people-hung-out-at-mall.html
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