California Malls Don’t Have Everything You Need

Here’s another immigrant life discovery post. California malls do not have everything you need. Takes some getting used to for me, having lived most of my life in the irony of a third-world city esteemed for some of the world’s largest shopping malls. Now I live in the midst of this land of plenty, and faced with poorly designed, poorly populated retail shopping centers that are humdrum wastelands.

Agnes shopping for shoes and stifling a yawn. Photo taken April 12, 2008.

Back in Manila, we would go to the mall and figure out what we needed only upon arrival. Because everything you could need was there in the mall.

Over here, you’re better off sitting at your computer comparing prices from different websites — there simply are more choices online. In the malls, you’re faced with clothes mostly and a smattering of houseware and furniture, a light topping of dismal eateries, and maybe a glaze of electronics. Forget about finding a bookstore or an office supplies store in these pithy megaplexes. And boy, don’t even ask about comics. Or videos. Or music. Even the largest outlet mall near us (Gilroy) has no bookstore or anything resembling a video or CD store. So much for the land of milk and honey.

What’s the point of all this ranting? Here it is, ladies and gents: where’s a husband supposed to go while his wife is shopping for shoes? :D

Me. Smiling at all these shoes. And none of them mine. Photo taken April 12, 2008.