Mallrats

When they can talk Dada into taking them, the girls like to go to the Lloyd Center Mall. Sometimes we drive and sometimes we take the MAX. Their first stop is usually a little Japanese stationary and gift shop on the basement level next to Ross. It's called Morning Glory, but the girls call it the "Hello Kitty store" because of all the Hello Kitty-branded trinkets and tchotchkes for sale there. (There is a retail shop for Sanrio -- the company that owns the Hello Kitty brand -- at Pioneer Place, but Dada doesn't usually feel like venturing that far into town on his weekday off). They get to pick out a small, inexpensive item, which often ends up being stickers. Then they usually play for a bit at the indoor play area, after which it's off for a treat enjoyed while watching the ice skaters. Today in the rink was someone skating around in a large Halloween clown costume/puppet with a head and arms controlled with long sticks. It was fun watching him for a bit, but when Dada saw from a distance that it was supposed to be an evil-clown costume, he quickly took the girls to go see something else before the performer could get too close (lest a lifelong fear of clowns be born).