Is San Diego really Paradise?

So I chose to live next to the mall instead of the beach. Linda Vista instead of Clairemont. Of course it wasn't the only factor in my choice, I wanted to be close to school, Clairemont's kind of expensive, and the Vietnamese community surrounding my current place doesn't really bug me as much as it bothers others, but yes, it was a choice of mall over beach.

Now I live near two malls. And two shopping centers. The malls are absolutely huge, and every chain store you've ever heard of exists in one of these malls. I saw SIX t-mobile stores within a two mile radius. And today, a busful of little kids stopped at Fashion Valley. Apparently, a field trip to the mall. I could spend every day, not to mention every dime, in the mall. I'm not sure how I feel about this. It's so very materialistic, yet alluring. Is this what people do in this city, shop?? I mean, you should see the size of my closet. It's bigger than my bathroom. This is an apartment too! I wonder, when I move next to the beach next year, if I'll miss this. But then again, they are only 4 miles apart.

Oh, and my place is nice. You should see it. Maybe I'll put up pix later.