So the exciting news in Sarasota is that our new regional mall opened recently- University Town Center (UTC). It provides the usual mall-shopping experience with the normal stores you might expect as well as some very upscale shopping and dining experiences – Sak’s Fifth Avenue, Tesla Motors, and Capital Grille.

I am not much of a mall-shopper myself. In fact the first time I ventured to the new mall a few weeks ago to meet friends for Happy Hour, I didn’t even feel compelled to go in and take a peek. But last night, after meeting the same said-group of friends, I realized that even though I had no desire to go window shopping, let alone actually purchase anything, I DID want to see the architecture.

I was not overwhelmed by the architectural prowess of whoever designed this space, but I did appreciate it’s spacious, contemporary feel. Since it was evening, the skylights were lit up and added significantly to the ambiance. I’m sure during the day, the natural light they bring into the space is equally appreciated.