Why does it always rain on me?

"Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?" (Travis)

Er, it's the umbrella, stupid. The lack of it, in fact.

So, as it was nicely drizzling on me this morning when I went out for my breakfast pastry, I decided to pass by our neighborhood shopping mall and try to find myself an umbrella. I had my camera with me so here are some pics from Mamut (meaning 'mammoth'--strange name for a shopping center but at least it's not another Plaza).

I armed myself with a cappucino to-go, bought from a gorgeous little coffee place just behind the mall, on the market. I haven't had proper coffee in more than five years so this was no small treat--it's giving me a strange feeling in the stomach but it was worth it.

Favorite meeting place--the fountain on the ground floor.

Don't you just love the packaging at L'Occitane? Everything seems to be saying "French rural chic"--almost irresistible.

I adore bookstores. This one is part of a Hungarian chain called "Libri." It would be my favorite store if the books were not in Hungarian, alas. To be fair, they also have an English-language section, although it's mostly classics and a few bestsellers.

Pastries for the hungry shopper.

Back to the umbrella issue--I got a little carried away clicking around, so much so that I forgot what I came for.

But here's a virtual umbrella for all of you under rainy skies (I like this song a lot, and I always think of my childhood friend Milos when I hear it. The video clip is a nuisance but it can thankfully be minimized).