Little "Lifestyle Center" of Horrors

When is a mall not a mall? When it disguises itself as a neighborhood, complete with sidewalks, "streets", individually designed storefronts, and sometimes even loft apartments. Kansas City got one of these new "lifestyle centers" last year, called Zona Rosa. Despite the more attractive appearance though, it's the still same old chain stores, restaurants, and throngs of mallrat teenagers. I hadn't realized it was part of a national trend, but I wasn't overly impressed with it when I visited during the holiday shopping season.

Favorite quote from the Slate article: "The irony is almost too perfect: Malls are now being designed to resemble the downtown commercial districts they replaced. What sweet vindication for urban sophisticates!"