West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Canada + San Francisco, California
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Lulu is obsessed with Leah Remini, in perticular her style of interviewing and caring for people on her show, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.
Alison is obsessed with her new Graffiti Wristlet Phone Case from Velour Cases that she was influenced to buy by one of our #10KSaturday guests, LJ Behlmann.
Lulu’s wish this week is a big ask. She wishes that one did not have to be an organized person to successfully sell things online, because she has a lot of stuff that she’d rather sell and have money to buy new stuff. There are retailers like Amazon and Target who have trade-in programs, and no one is organized and half the stuff is crap on Facebook Marketplace, so she could haphazardly attempt to sell items on there! Alison wishes that when your tires were low that the car would tell you which tire was low so you didn’t have to waste time checking each tire just to see if it was the one that needed filled. It’s always the last one she checks. Cue face palm emoji.
Lulu is heading to Alberta, Canada, more specifically she is going to the West Edmonton Mall, the mall with the world record for having the most world records for a mall. You may have to read that again. Or just keep on reading. This mall size is equivalent to 48 city blocks! It holds the records for things like the largest parking lot, with space for more than 20,000 vehicles and a major bus stop, as well as:
the world’s largest indoor amusement park
the world’s largest indoor triple loop roller coaster
the world’s largest indoor lake
the world’s largest indoor wave pool
Of course there is a hotel attached, the Fantasyland Hotel. This is themed luxury at its finest. Literally, you can stay in luxury themed rooms. Luxury Space, Luxury Modern Polynesian, Luxury Princess, Luxury Igloo, or Lulu’s choice…Luxury Truck. A queen bed in the back of a truck, truck bunk beds, a vintage shell gas station pump, truck print carpeting. Is this a room for a kid, or a kid-at-heart? Both. The whimsical decor and fun bedding is great and all, but Lulu is especially stoked about the four-person jacuzzi that she plans to starfish in.
You couldn’t get through all there is to do at this mall in a month, much less in a day. Lulu gears up for the experience, knowing she needs to stay hydrated with all this mall-walking in her day. This black and gold quilted lambskin Chanel water bottle bag will keep her stylish while sipping. Who we are kidding, she is probably going to fill this up with wine, not water.
Lulu does her best to get a taste of the mall-cation life by starting with blacklight mini-golf and and a mirror maze. We’d say that’s quite the adventurous start! Lulu is prepared to conquer this labyrinth with a flashlight and post-its.
While not entirely sure how she feels about animals living in captivity, she is intrigued by the Penguin Meet-and-Greet and is open to making some new feathered-friends. She foregoes the food court and heads to Atlas for lunch, where she gets the mussels and clams wedge salad, a chili-rubbed rib steak, a cheese plate, a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, and a cocktail.
Now its time for a thrill in the NYC streetscape-styled DRIVE, North America’s only indoor three level race track with state of the art electric Sodi carts!
Next is a game or two at Ed’s Bowling, where she books one of the exclusive bowling suites with a large comfortable seating area. She brings her own bowling ball, the Weird Owl ball by Angel Szafranko in a ~$1200 Vintage 1975 World Champion Bag that belonged to Olga Gloor. She also rocks some William Abraham cervelt socks, these finer-than-cashmere socks cost $1275, can you believe it? It is made from a rare New Zealand red deer, making it the scarcest luxury fiber in the world.
After bowling she heads to the food court to get some Filipino-flavored fries at Potato Corner. Next Lulu hopes to set a record at Alien Outbreak Escape Room. Just getting out before the time is up would be nice, actually. Then it’s on to Galaxyland, the world’s largest indoor amusement park. You could spend an entire weekend here, but Lulu plans to get in a ride or two and call it a (part of a) day.
To close out her mall day, Lulu goes to Jubilations Dinner Theatre, which features original shows taking on the “best in pop culture, crafting hilarious parodies of the biggest names in movies, music, and TV for an altogether unforgettable show.” And with all of that Lulu did like 2% of the West Edmonton Mall.
Alison is doing an intentional repeat day. Lulu went to San Francisco in our 28th episode titled “You Better Wear Two Sports Bras!”, where her day was all about Alcatraz, adrenaline parks, and a pajama party at her Airbnb. Speaking of Airbnb, Alison has (re)discovered the “luxe” section of the rental website. There were three luxe options in San Fran, and Alison goes with the oh-so-hygge House of Peace home. Stylish and serene, this six-bedroom house boasts an ornamental garden, a study, a fireside dining table with room for a party, and lots of cozy couches ready to be curled up on. Seriously, we’re ready to move in to this sure-to-cost-millions home.
The design of this home is only second to the ease of its Golden Gate Avenue location, making your stay amenable to exploring all over! Starting at $3,000 per night, there are additional services available at this Airbnb like pre-stocking, airport transfer, excursion planning, and chef services!
Breakfast is at Zazie, where the food is undoubtedly amazing, but Alison is mostly interested in brunching at this hot spot because of its approach to pricing…“All of our menu prices include a living wage, revenue share, paid family leave, fully funded health & dental insurance, paid time off, and a 401(k) with employer match for all of our hard working employees.”
From there Alison goes Pier 39 where she finds “the most legally psychedlic place in San Francisco”, Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze! Designed to be disorienting, this blacklight labyrinth has flashing lights and a rave music score to set the scene for a fun time or a freak out, depending on your personality type and predilection for epileptic seizures.
Next up is some cardboard construction and a lesson in community activism. Alison is checking out the Seward Street Slides, concrete slopes tucked away in a neighborhood park. Designed by a teenager and defended by a community leading up to a 60’s sit-in, these slides and its surrounding park and garden were instrumental in current city legislation that requires a certain amount of open space in any proposed developments. Alison buys these “build-your-own-cardboard-bobsleigh” design instructions off of Etsy, before deciding just to ask the maker to craft her a customized cardboard vessel instead so she can slide down these slopes like a pro!
Alison is in for a stimulating excursion at the Good Vibrations Antique Vibrator Museum, whose exhibits give a fascinating look into the history of the vibrator. Originally created exclusively for use by medical professionals to cure “female hysteria” - anxiety, insomnia, having needs - it eventually became a consumer item regularly advertised in reputable women’s and home publications. You can have a docent lead you on an even more informative tour about society’s promotion, subsequent discomfort, and reclaimed advancement of the tool that in 1906 was touted as able to “furnish every woman with the essence of perpetual youth."
Alison is excited for a social dining experience with Lazy Bear. Created as an advancement on the chef’s elaborate dinner parties, this restaurant takes the modern American dinner party and amps it up a notch or two. From being hosted in his apartment, to an illicit warehouse, to finally going legit and earning a Michelin star in its “first” year, this place is destination dining at its finest. Alison loves that their reservations are “sold” like tickets to an event. While not so communal during covid, we’re eagerly anticipating trying this IRL soon!
To close out her epic and diverse day, Alison rents out a boat from Blue and Gold Fleet to take a champagne and dessert cruise around San Francisco Bay.
CHECK OUT THE CHARITIES WE FOUND IN THE CITIES WE VISITED:
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