Lou Pickney's Online Commentary
Camouflage Tiger
Thursday
December 18, 2003
We're one week out from Christmas. One week. My, how the time flies. For the last minute shoppers, the game of beat-the-clock becomes all the more urgent. Mall parking lots across the country are going to be slammed this weekend.
Last night I had a few moments to spare (while waiting for the late deadline for BubbaArmy.com orders to roll in by the deadline, so I went over to the nearby International Plaza here in Tampa. Amazingly, it was probably the easiest shopping experience at a mall I've had this close to Christmas ever. Found a good spot, made it in without too many insane crowds, and actually found what I was looking for (which was needle-in-a-haystackish at best). And, even more amazing, it was actually decently priced (almost everything there is expensive).
And while I'm at it, a big thumbs up to Nordstrom for actually making it easy to find your way from the parking entrance to the main mall area. Some stores seem to thrive on making that path as absolutely complicated as possible. If I wanted a maze, I'd go wander around at the Clear Channel Tampa building for awhile.
Seriously though, do they think I'm going to buy an $85 shirt because I had to be inconvenienced in my hunt to get to the small mall stores? Please. If I want to shop there, I'll shop there. So good job by Nordstrom for actually melding courtesy with common sense. That sort of thing doesn't go unnoticed.
My sister Mary Beth thinks she has her presents for my brother Matt and I wrapped covertly enough to where we won't be able to figure them out before we open them. Matt especially takes pleasure in playing the old guessing game when it comes to present projections.
The search for pictures of Robin Bakay keeps bringing people here, which is most interesting. I received a tip this week via e-mail from a man who claimed to have gone to high school with her and says that she posed in Playboy under her maiden name of Robin Avener in the August 1984 issue.
Now, without having that issue available offhand, I can't say yay or nay on that. But perhaps some of you collectors (or stalkers) might know? If it is true, then as Nick Bakay might say... Advantage: Hugh Hefner. Though if that was the real Robin Bakay, it begs the question, where was that spread (or at least a pic from it) in the 50th Anniversary issue?
|
