Mall Rats

Merely shopping at the mall? That's so blue collar.

According to the Boston Globe's devoted readership of single 40 year old women, social climbers, and perpetual bachelors, living at the mall is the ultimate way to show everyone just how noveau riche you truly are. The new Nouvelle at Natick offers sweeping views of Route 30, not to mention the opportunity to become a regular at the Cheesecake Factory, for a mere 7 figures. However, one cannot possibly put a price on the fact that by living at Nouvelle you will never have to hob-nob with commoners who simply cannot fathom just how ridiculously rich and successful you've become since your days at Needham High.

Remember the good old days when people got rich the old fashioned way? There's something to be said for being born into or marrying money. I really respect the way that Boston Brahmins live in multi-million dollar brownstones and shut the fuck up about it. Everyone knows they're loaded - no need to make a federal case out of it. Rather than complain that the bar scene (surprise!) is full of 20 years olds who actually work for a living, they drink and fraternize at exclusive country clubs. Here's the most admirable part though: at some point (perhaps between Brae Burn and the Pru) they are forced to encounter people who may not be of equal means. Maybe they're spied on a street corner begging for change or perhaps they're spotted making a coffee through pane glass of a Dunkin Donuts. Either way, they are not completely segregating themselves from society by living, shopping, dining, dating, mating, and socializing in an upscale mall.

Not like I had anything to do with it, but I'm pretty proud of the fact that I live in one of the few area of the country that wasn't bombarded with exclusive gated communities during the recent housing boom. While I'm certainly in no position to tell other people how to spend their cash, opting out of a society that in your mind doesn't measure up shouldn't even be on the table. The Nouvelle at Natick is obviously hitting a specific demographic and for a diverse, inclusive community like Natick that should be a very alarming thing. A lot of these folks would be better off in a place where money truly does buy happiness (such as Miami) than holing up in over-priced condo bunkers that this area certainly doesn't need.