Mall Madness

So there is fabulous shopping here in Moscow.  Many of the stores you dream of seeing in little ole Arkansas or Louisiana are at your fingertips.  And when Luci was here I really do think we hit everyone of them.  Not just at the mall but also on Tverskaya and in the GUM.  But today I will focus on Metropolis Mall.  Now just like anywhere in Moscow, you need two credit cards to buy anything.  This is where you do have to be realistic about sticker shock.  It is not like you really need the shirt live unlike food and drink.  Not all stores are overpriced.  Many are reasonable.  But many stores that are in the states you will end up paying double for the same item.  So unless you really think that you won't find that item in the States, just wait to buy.  The two shops that we have that Luci has wanted to go to and are rare in the US are Top Shop and H&M.  Luci spent a good long time in Top Shop and left with some really great purchases.  H&M, however was a bit disappointing.  There was nothing spectacular and as the game "Mall Madness" would say "Ooh long line, try again later."  Sheri and I were tired and the line to the dressing room was not enticing.  Ah to be young again and be able to withstand a whole day at the mall with repetitive trying on.  I guess once you get out of high school and you no longer do the back to school shopping, long days are gone.  Unless of course you are the last minute Christmas shopper and must buy everything on Christmas Eve before the mall closes at 6.

Now as I have mentioned in just about every post so far it is hot at the mall.  You have to go into a store for a little bit of coolness.  And then once you start trying on clothes any coolness you may have felt is long out the door.  Poor Owen was sweating up a storm.  But he is a trooper.  He is always happy at the mall and never fusses as you push him from store to store.  Of course that could be because he does get attention everywhere he goes.  Remember he is a celebrity.

The mall is three stories and very wide.  I have been several times and still have not been to every store.  The mall is right beside David's office so it is a convenient place for us to meet up.  Also, there is a large supermarket (similar to Wal-mart) on the ground floor, and I visit the baby stores on the top floor for O goods.  Not to mention we are a bit tired of hotel food and there is not anything near by so we have frequented the food court quite a bit.

I am trying to think if there is something this mall does not have.  It has a bowling alley (yes inside on the 3rd floor), a movie theater, an electronic store similar to Best Buy, and an awesome department store called Stockman (this store even has a few American grocery items).  And what is really nice about this mall is that categorizes the shops for you.  There is no failed attempt like in the malls in the States.  All baby and kid is in a corner and you will not find a similar store somewhere else in the mall.  And like in any mall this is where you can do some serious people watching.  And some of the people watching leaves you speechless (or with a whole another post).

So when you come to visit I will take you here to see all the stores, and then you can decide what you can't live without so that you have to sell your plane ticket home to buy it.  :)