photos by melinda guajardo (click thumbnails to expand pics)
Mall of America is usually not my first choice when it comes to shopping destinations - however, in the past couple years, they've upped their attraction/retailer game. Not only is there a gigantic Forever21, Topshop inside Nordstrom, Madewell and Freepeople - but the event center plays host to cool exhibits that change up frequently.
As my life consists of hustling and multi-tasking on the daily, I made it a personal mission to visit the mall one evening after work to accomplish as many things as possible - both for work and pleasure.
Knowing how much my baby sister loves the world of criminal science, we celebrated her birthday by visiting the CSI Experience exhibit. She geeked out, kicked butt and solved a murder mystery. I topped it off by getting her a cool pair of perforated slip-on sneakers from Call It Spring. We then indulged ourselves in some pork belly ramen at Masu and icecream for good measure.
In preparation for my LA trip, I purchased a couple swim suits (an all-white scalloped bikini and a high-waisted leopard print one), new slides (with a birkenstock-ish feel) and leopard print sneaker slip-ons at H&M.
In anticipation of our summer yoga/pilates sessions on the rooftop at work, I stopped into the Nike store to pick up a pair of their studio wraps. If you check out my previous posts, you'll see they serve multiple purposes for me. I carry them in my purse every where I go, because you never know when you'll need to break out in downward dog or child's pose.
Dropped into Madewell and channeled my inner Elin Kling/Parisian chic and tried my hand at the art of scarf/hankerchief tying. At Topshop, I tried on this slinky, jersey dress accompanied with tropical slip-ons (perfect for summer) and a backpack that doubles as a tote bag. I'll be coming back for the black calf hair slip-on sneakers and backpack.
I ended the night by revisiting my youth and spending an evening with the bestie @ Nickelodeon Universe. My tonsils got a nice work out from the occasional freaking out of heights and roller coasters. At long last, I finally got to ride the Pepsi roller coaster, which is surprisingly romantic at night - what with all the lights from neighboring rides and the dimly lit sky from beyond the gigantic glass ceiling. (Date night, anyone?)
Of course, with the endless amount of things to do at Mall of America, I wasn't able to fit in the Barbie Dreamhouse. I'll be sure to come back donned in my best barbie-inspired outfit to check out the exhibit and to pick up all the goodies I left behind.