Mal Taman Anggrek

or "Orchid Garden Mall" as it would be known in English, is home to a variety of shops and department stores, hair & makeup salons (at least 6), luxury textile stores, bridal salons, children's play areas, Starbucks AND The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, McDonald's, Wendy's, Popyes, A&W, KFC and a couple other US Imports as well as a fitness center, full size skating rink and 21 screen movie theatre (currently showing Toy Story 3, Knight and Day, Eclipse and who knows whatall else) AND 8 towers worth of condo/apartments. But the main attraction is generally what's happening in the main lobby area (Ground Level). During Christmas holidays, it snows and Santa Claus and his elves/reindeer are there. Barbie has been there and during the time leading up to Chinese New Year, the area has been decorated to celebrate, complete with exhibitions and whatnot. You just never know quite what to expect from T-A (tay-ahh as it's called here). Did I mention that the mall is 6 stories tall? That's roughly 3 times the size of our local mall back in Sunny FLA.

Anyways, today when the mall opened, the back-to-school partay was in full swing. School resumes for the new term in just a couple of weeks, so EVERYTHING is on sale with "back-to-school specials". Between that and the Jakarta Great Sale (22 Juni-25 Juli 2010) to celebrate 487 years since the city's founding, there is MASSIVE shopping to be done.

The Body Shop has the entire lobby arena area set up with their new line of products and their wares are being sold by a most energetic group of young adults. What they lack in trained skill, they more than make up for with enthusiasm! Perhaps if the shopkeepers in the US had choreography to go along with their product, the recession might move along?