A Series of Strange Sights

Two dogs on a table, Elvis at the foodcourt, and more that happened this week.

March 9 2025

Each post is paired with a song. For today, it’s Knocked Up by Kings of Leon.

Another observational listicle - yay! I think you enjoyed reading these and I enjoyed writing them, so let’s do it. Here are things that stood out to me this week.

1- Kings Of Leon

One of the first things I do when arriving in a new city is check what concerts might be happening near us. When I saw Kings of Leon were set to play 30 minutes away, it was a no brainer. Pregnant or not, I’ve been a huge fan since I was a teen and there was no way I was going to miss it. We got there and set ourselves up at a nice distance from the stage, about 40 minutes before they were meant to come on. I sat my pregnant butt on the dirty ground and waited. The moment they took the stage, I was on my feet, filming and screaming like a teenager again, too caught up to notice that some drunk kid threw up right beside us and managed to get some on my bag in the process. For the entirety of the concert, I had my arm at an awkward angle to avoid touching the disgusting, chunky mess. Definitely worth it though. They sang Knocked Up, one of their older songs and it felt very fitting to be belting out the lyrics. They were amazing live and I definitely recommend watching them if you ever get the chance to.

2- Let’s Go To The Mall

A few days ago, we went to a mall called Fashion Square to visit an immersive art exhibition at Wonderspaces. It was cool, Imad especially enjoyed it. What I enjoyed most was just being at the mall. I think no matter what country you’re in, it’s the perfect place to get a demographic sample of the city. It reminded me of the scene from Mean Girls where Cady likens it to animals at the watering hole. Yes, it did feel like watching another species out in the wild.

There were the families, the bleary-eyed mothers and fathers who looked like they were thinking “let’s just take the kids out of the house for a bit, maybe it’ll help,” but were clearly regretting it now.

There were the solo-shoppers who turned their mall trip into a veritable marathon, power-walking in and out of stores, carrying more and more bags in each hand.

The ones who stood out most to me were the teens, the Gen Zers and Gen Alphas. They all sported one of two styles: laid-back loungewear or a toned-down Sailor Moon inspired vibe. The first being low-cut baggy jeans or sweatpants with a fitted cropped top. Shoe-lace looking belts tied in a bow in the front also seemed to be a thing. The other style consisted of mini skirts and blouses, a mix between preppy and anime, with big chunky loafers and make-up that was heavy on the pink blush and highlighter.

And then there was Elvis. Not the Elvis, but an impersonator sitting alone in the food court, hidden behind his sunglasses, with a Bible propped up in front of him. No explanation, just straight-up mystery.

3- Nighttime Drives

The streets here aren’t as lit as I expected. We only have a few scattered lights, so driving at night feels like a mix of cozy and eerie. And as the passenger princess, I get to observe a few strange gems along the way.

We passed a pet clinic, and through the window, I could’ve sworn I saw two dogs… going at it on an operating table. Nope, turns out they were stuffed animals arranged for display, and it was bizarre enough to stick in my mind.

Then was a furniture store with a round window featuring furniture that looked like it was levitating, bathed in neon blue lights that gave off a full-on psychedelic vibe. Definitely the place to be if you're looking for a 70s vibe with a hint of “maybe I took something too strong before coming here.”

Next was a place was called Dillon Precision. The only reason it stood out to me was because I thought of Dillon, Texas from the football show Friday Night Lights. When I looked it up, I found that Dillon Precision manufactured “high-speed progressive reloading machines designed to load common rifle and handgun cartridges.” Nice. Very nice.

Lastly, the place that marked we were almost home: Twin Peaks. Again, I innocently thought of the weird TV show by the same name. But turns out, it’s just another American-style restaurant/bar, a bit like Hooters, with wooden everything. It looked pretty vibey, not gonna lie.

4- Licence Plates

Arizona seems to have a thing for customized license plates. This was my favorite, as I was indeed quite mad when it popped up in front of us, mocking me.

Next time I write one of these, I might have a newborn on my arm. Aahhhhh.

Bye.