Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Well, It's No Rockerfeller Center... But It's Close



A friend was talking about how nice it was at the Lloyd Center Rink - her daughter has started classes there this winter and is totally enjoying it! she said she had never really thought of the mall as anything but "The Mall" before but now she is seeing it much like cities she lived in in Greece, where every little city and burg had a "town center" where all of the action took place - the people would meet and go to the market and the young people would hang out and play games... just like at the Lloyd Center.

I have thought about this "mall as community center" since I've lived in Portland and spent a lot of time skating there. I have learned that there is a good tailor and someone to fix your shoes, a post-office and various stores and coffee shops and restaurants - and of course the rink, centrally located.

Had my class there tonight. The ice was really hard and pretty chewed up - but of course it IS Spring Break and I am betting the public sessions were crowded with happy kids and dazed parents -- getting some exercise and spending a lot of energy and having fun skating.

Not a bad thing, really.

Can't wait until spring break is over and we have our empty daytime ice again.

I know the early mornings are probably not so busy this week - I hope the figure skaters are sleeping in - their regular schedule of early-morning ice is so grueling - at least it would be for me!!

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