Navigating horribly congested streets to get there, screwy parking you have to pay for once you do, and manic crowds. The only time I like going to The Grove is early Sunday mornings before the stores open to have breakfast at LA Farms.The Grove is everything that is horrible and spectacular about our brand-saturated American lives. It’s a living version of every pretentious theory you may have read back in grad school: a facsimile of a space, a scripted zone, a generic city, a vituperative quote by Baudrillard or Deleuze. But it’s also totally great!
No easy way in, or out. Bazillions of people... The Grove sucks the fat one.
ReplyDeleteWhen I travel in US, I ask where to find these 'destination malls' and avoid!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is just a spiffier and more pretentious kind of strip mall in my opinion. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the reasons I sew my own clothes. I hate shopping now because of places like this. No matter where you are, you are faced with this brand based shopping. Independent stores have almost ceased to exist. When I go to places like these, I feel my brains being sucked out through my shoes; I hate it. But buying fabrics and making my own clothes out of vintage patterns? Fun all the way.
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