rue-madame's Diaryland Diary

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The great mawl

I just got back from the new Hollywood and Highland mall at, wouldn�t you know it, the corner of Hollywood and Highland. The architecture is this freakish Aramaic/Sumerian-meets-Vegas hodge-podge with a bridge/archway that frames the Hollywood sign. The best part was getting admonished by a security guard on the top floor, �This level is closed to the public, folks.� I didn�t see any signs about this, but on the way down realized that a non-functioning UP escalator is Los Angelese for �can�t go up there.� In Paris, there are broken escalators all over the place, and you just use them like stairs. Silly me.

Re-entry is still proving to be a challenge.

Anyway, the view from the top of the complex is only interesting if you walk to the Hollywood side and stare at the building across the street. The detail and ornament on the El Capitan are amazing.

I still have 3 presents to buy: one for my older sister, one for my father, and one for my sister�s husband. Those three people are really not that hard to shop for, but I have made my life complicated by declaring not to frequent certain types of stores or buy certain types of items: for example, I have a hard time giving sweaters and pyjamas because those gifts are too practical and impersonal. And I can�t shop at stores that are affiliated with a tv channel or that are ginormous chains which is why mall shopping is always a bad idea. After lunch, I am going to try my luck at MoshiMoshi, a little shop next door to Mani�s Bakery, then maybe venture over to 3rd Street.

I drive up to San Francisco tomorrow morning, and I have a feeling that I will spend Monday the 24th finishing up my Christmas shopping.

12:55 p.m. - 2001-12-21

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