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A reader encountered one of Hollywood's most-photographed starlets on Saturday at The Grove, our fine city's painstakingly crafted urbanesque shopping street and de facto celebrity petting zoo. Unfortunately, not even the artificial snow, towering nondenominational season-tree, and cheerful waters dancing to the strains of "Jingle Bell Rock" could fill her with holiday cheer after an encounter with some needy fans:

So, this weekend, I am standing in line with my 4-year-old son waiting for Santa at the The Grove. Of course, 3 people to the front of the line we realize the camera batteries are bad. I run down the street to a kiosk to buy batteries and who is standing there texting like a mad demon on the PDA? Lindsay Lohan. Apparently she had just "survived" a group of teenage girls with cellphone cams. She was complaining to her friend about the "pain in the ass those girls with cellcams are". By the way, she was dressed head to toe in black, and will someone please buy this girl a meal - I think my 4-year-old son weighs more than her!!

Luckily, with her camera-seeking Mercedes safely valeted, the cellphone-wielding paparazzi-in-training were spared Lohan's well-practiced vehicular reprisal for an invasion of her privacy, and the Grove's Fake Christmas continued on its merry course without any regrettable bloodshed.