Signing off

As we wind down back in Rock Bottom, we reflect on a day of nostalgia and mild disgust/fear. But mostly, we realize how much this place feels like a big strange living room — familiar and comfortable, yet full of strangers and shaking ceiling tiles. During pauses waiting for an elevator or traversing the wide, empty food court, we both blurt out how unbelievable it seems this place won’t be here as of May 22. Here’s some artistic renderings that will just have to keep us going after the mall is gone…

9:01

Here’s a toast to all those fallen stores….

9:00

WE DID IT!!!!

15 minutes to go…

For on of our last stores of the night, we went to FYE…seriously the ONLY store we were in today that played music. There were an array of speakers with buttons to “try”…and how could we resist?

8:00

The final hour.

& more indeed.

“20 years strong”

7:45

You guys, we’re so close.

We should update our loyal followers that we have avoided seeing a movie to get the full Ballston experience. “Kung Fu Panda 3” is sounding really good about now, though. Also, WTF Regal Cinemas? What do 2 women in their late 20’s gotta do to see Zootopia?

We went into a store we had been savoring: the party/costume store. Here’s a picture of me goofin’!!!

Pictured: Diana’s real teeth

While in the store we saw SEVERAL photographs of people caught RED HANDED stealing valuables like holiday-themed toothpicks! The kind of thing that is always the central point of a multi-camera sitcom, but I didn’t think it ever happened in real life.

Then we went to Bed Bath and Bodyworks! We only recognized a handful of scents: Sweet Pea, Moonlight Path, Japanese Cherry Blossom and Warm Vanilla Sugar. Where did all the “Art Stuff” go? Also RIP Cucumber Melon.

Also, the namesake of this blog “Things Remembered” is forgotten!

6:30

Wow, we killed almost four hours in Rock Bottom. We were so happy to get visitors and hear about memories of the mall from people who experienced it as adults. As a treat for sitting with us for so long, we brought our visitors (read: parents) to “As Seen On TV,” one of Ballston’s treasures. It’s moved across the hall to where the WET SEAL used to be and half of the store is blocked off by a curtain…why? What’s behind the curtain? Good metaphor for something, though I’m not sure what.

Let’s take a minute to mourn the loss of Claire’s. How can you forget the first place you buy fake hair? Before we knew what a Silky 4 was, we were buying scrunchies made of acrylics hair balls with streaks of glitter highlights.

One of our fondest memories is the “10 for 5” deals where you could buy 10 items (usually off the sale rack) for $5. We would be so excited for the opportunity, but my god that stuff was C-R-A-P. We would spend HOURS on the floor of that store untangling cheap necklaces and trying to find earring with two pairs still in tact. In retrospect, it was not worth the trouble, but who were we to pass up a good deal?

Diana in Claire’s, 2003

Our Worst Nightmare

Our parents have all joined us at Rock Bottom. HOW EMBARRASSING.

Halfway point!

We’ve made it 5 1/2 hours! As a celebration, let’s go on a trip down memory lane…

In May 2004, we celebrated our dear friend Hannah’s birthday at Ballston Common. We met up in the evening but it was actually my second visit to the mall during the day. That morning, as a belated present for my 16th birthday, my mom took me to the Piercing Pagoda to get my second ear piercing.

That evening we took Hannah to Macaroni Grill, the fine Italian eatery on the first floor. I can’t remember if we got dessert ravioli, but that was our favorite thing on the menu. We bought her a smattering of weird gifts, including a Jesus nightlight from (surprise) the Dollar Store. We spent our time after dinner going around the mall and posing with weird stores, like “The Ink Store.”

Then we went to see “Shrek 2.” In a packed theatre, we laughed along to the opening montage of Shrek and Fiona enjoying their nuptials to the Counting Crows “Accidentally in Love” when all of the sudden, the lights came on and the fire alarm went off. We left the theatre through one of those weird “Exit” doors that you always pledge to pay attention to but never do. We filed out onto Glebe Road where we were met with firetrucks.

I don’t think we ever found out what set off the alarm, but we weren’t allowed back in the theatre, and I didn’t see Shrek 2 until at least 10 years later.

DMB playing at Rock Bottom

Taking a break from making fun of weird products.