Today while returning to Pickford Lofts to spend more time with her daughter Lindsay, an X17online photographer asked Dina Lohan if she thought Lindz could avoid jail time now that she's hired powerhouse attorney Robert Shapiro.

Dina kept her mouth shut on any of Lindsay's legal woes, but she lit up when we paid her a compliment!

"You look like a California girl," our photog said, putting a smile on Dina's face. "Oh, gosh," she said laughing, before making it clear that she may be a blonde but she's a New Yorker at heart.

I guess her sunny disposition and hard New York sensibilities will help her through this troubled time!