Carlsbad Premium Shops

I was dying to get out of the house since it's been raining on and off for the last two weeks or so, so I decided to hop in the car and drive to Carlsbad. My son, the wise ass he is at times (I wonder where he gets *that* from??) asked me if I was going to try to get a job at Legoland dressed as one of the Lego block people. Oh, sure right, kid. Just as soon as you're willing to put on the Goofy suit at D-Land.

There is an outlet mall located near the auto mall off of Palomar Drive. It's premium meaning, all the expensive stores you may or may not shop at are there. I especially wanted to go to the La Creuset store to pick up another small white oval casserole dish to match the others I have. I also found while I was in the store this bad ass baster which has a screw on top, and two tips: one for a showering effect and another to be used as a flavor injector. It's one hundred times better than the $1.99 version you have to invest in every other year before thanksgiving because you remembered last year is was a piece of crap. I love kitchen gadgets.

Lucky me - across from the kitchen store was a Jones New York store. I think I've collected more pieces from them than any other store. I got a silk blouse and brown leather shoes both on sale, so I didn't feel so guilty about spending the money.

Smack in the middle of the mall was someone who was set-up selling paintings. There were two that caught me eyes: 1) was a knock off of a Van Gough, and 2) a large martini glass with a deep red background. I immediately thought of my friend in Florida when I saw that painting. Hrmmm.

I then walked to the end of the inner mall and couldn't find Barney's, so I went to the other end where I parked and bought me a snack of a hot dog on a stick and a small lemonade at Hot Dog On A Stick, which now, by the way, also serves breakfast at selected stores in the from of sausage on a stick (I kid you not), but hash browns are served on the side.

I decided to leave on the other end of the parking lot and remembered that when this place was only called Carlsbad Company Stores, many of the shops entry doors were on the outside of the complex, like the Samsonite Outlet Store. At the west end, there it was - Barney's, but I was shopped out and dark storm clouds were looming overhead, so I bailed and left at about 6:30PM. I was there for over 2 hours shopping.