Despite obvious reluctance to yet another alarm-dictated morning, I eventually conceded. It was, after all, the only way to return home before sundown - and the only way to potentially incorporate exercise into the early evening hours.
But alas, my departure from the house would not take place until at least twenty minutes later. My 5 PM return time was at risk.
I had been avidly browsing winter jacket sales leading up to the newsletter announcement and saved two articles to my watchlist before proceeding to locate them in store.
After slipping into (and quickly out of) a pair of ill-fitting plum-hued leggings, I headed towards the second floor for perusal of outerwear.
I narrowed my search to three contenders: a lightly lined rain gear to a padded, two-tone waterproof parka to a puffy, Michelin Man-esque down jacket. Ultimately, I settled on the latter two, but considered deferring the purchase to see whether further sales would occur.
"Anything of interest?"
"Hmmm let's try that!" I pointed to a storefront with capitalized white Serif font.
Posted on the door of the Lebanese restaurant was a banner listing various daily specials. My gaze darted towards the bottom, where the weekend specials were specified. Thankful was I to have recalled it being Sunday, for Veggie Bowl Saturday would not have appealed to me in the slightest.
I stabbed at two small pieces of Garlic Potato out of curiosity. They were interestingly soft morsels with a noticeably sweet aura.
The scorching summery temperatures were brutal, but a lack of A/C even more so.
Comparable to a Chinese Walmart, the shelves were lined with budget electronics and homeware items - usually economic but not necessarily ergonomic or durable. There were even separate sections dedicated to electronics and and beauty.
Beyond locating a properly-sized basin, a 2 for $5 promo was chanced across. Needless to say, I couldn't resist an extra-large sieve and washbasin with handle (for my next construction-induced water shutoff).
After relinquishing my $4.50 fare, I hovered nearby the cashier and observed other patrons in silence. Enthusiasm could be seen on the faces of those that received their orders. No longer was the main demographic Chinese-speaking locals, for the crowds spanned a broad range of ages and ethnicities. That said, there was a great deal of amusement when a Caucasian lady approached the cashier inquiring for a "fresh" batch of egg waffles. I stifled a snort overhearing the request, for it was common knowledge that that the best batches were those that had cooled slightly, not those that would be soggy if immediately shoved into a paper bag.
The upper level had also been renovated to support expansion of Ding Dong Snacks from the main level. Now rebranded as "Ding Dong Exotic Sweet", the store features a number of imported treats from the UK and Korea in addition to retaining their original assortment of preserved Chinese snacks (think Dried Mango and Cuttlefish with Black Sesame Seeds).
My browsing partner acknowledged the desire, and we returned to the upper level once more. Crispy Egg Rolls from Tung Tung would also be procured before departing.