Alive and Well

...and the proud owners of a new coffee table!

Remember the IKEA table that we were going to have delivered? Until we realized that delivery costs were more than the cost of the table?

Well, guess what? Our hotel in Philadelphia was about a mile from IKEA. (I swear to God I didn't plan it that way). And because we are crazy, we went shopping at IKEA on Sunday afternoon.

Unfortunately, everyone else in the tri-state area had the same idea. The place was packed. When we saw "our table," we checked the tag to find out which aisle to pick it up in.

"Temporarily Oversold."

Oh, fuh! We had lunch (along with everyone else in the tri-state area), then continued browsing in the hamster maze. After we had chosen some little trinkets, we made our way to the checkout -- but you have to go through the large-item pickup aisles in order to get there.

Aisle 10, coffee tables. Just in case. The second time we looked up and down the row, we saw it. Our table. And there was one left. Not THAT oversold!

Then we waited for an HOUR in line (you guessed it: along with everyone else in the tri-state area). We were so hell-bent on getting the damn table that we didn't walk out in disgust.

Now we are home; the table has been put together and my feet are on it! Allan took a picture of it; I'll link to it later. Time for another beer, then bed.

UPDATE! Allan has posted photos of the new table.

Comments

[Margaret]

You are determined to get what you want, just like me. You are having one more beer, just like me. Je t'aime.

[winter]

I love IKEA, too. I drive past one every day on my way to work, and the parking lot is always full. A bit scary, that...

[Pauline]

You see USA and France aren't that different. I spent sunday afternoon in Ikea (Villiers sur Marne / France) which is east of Paris and I swear it took longer to park the car than and walk round in cicles than actually buy the 4.99 euro lamp we wanted !

I do love Ikea though.

[Monty]

I must be deranged. I haven't been in an IKEA in over a decade. But I am sitting here with a Yingling Black and Tan waiting for the Prison movie from the last post to come out. Is it a men's prison or a women's prison?

[meredith]

Now, will ever a cocktail be allowed to rest upon this new coffee table?

[misschrisc]

Ohhh IKEA is so much fun. I love spending an afternoon there browsing and then stocking up at the épicerie on the way out. That little Swedish grocery store is awesome!

[ally bean]

persistence is good-- and having a car big enough to fit a table into for the long drive home!

[AlisonM]

I'm always heading back to IKEA to pick up the one or two things they didn't have on my last trip. Because they always don't have something or other. Fortunately, it's between my house and my daughter's orthodontist, but it can get frustrating sometimes. . .

[Thomas]

You were also wrangling with the Back To School crowd. The best time to go to Ikea is 2:00am on February 18th. You'll need a rental car to smash through the front door, so make sure you get the optional insurance, and a detailed map of where everything you want is located. You'll have 5, maybe 10 minutes to get your "purchases" and get out, so if I were you, I'd enlist lots of help for the larger items. You should be able to get in and out in record time... Police record time, that is.

Eyeliner should be worn for the mug shots, but never blush. Blush makes people look guilty.

[Elisabeth]

Thomas is right, it was all those kids getting dorm room or college apartment furniture. My daughter dragged her dad to the Pittsburgh Ikea on Sunday also, to buy a table that could work as a desk.

And, Thomas, does that rental have to be an SUV?

[Mist 1]

But what did you have for lunch?

Did you have the meatballs? I love the meatballs.

Lingonberry juice?

These are the details that I need.

[Chris]

I love Ikea but boy is that place busy. The one up here? Right next to the University of Maryland campus. Now, that was excellent planning!

[lily/rebecca]

oh i love pittsburgh's ikea. love it.
love the meatballs, too.
sunday brunch there (don't know if they do it anymore) was always a good bet.
which reminds me...i was in a Joann Etc. store on saturday, and picked up this AWESOME book on brunch for only $4.69. i will have to send you some recipes...
the frickin pictures have me salivating.

[melanie]

IKEA = Shrine to Domestic Bliss

everything you never knew you wanted in one big palace of domestic joy.

at affordable rates too. i am so jealous.

[anica]

:hug:

[saundrah]

Which one did you get? I used to have the Letsvik one.. But the ex took it. It matches my book shelves, so I may get it again... I think there is something called 'Ikea Amnesia' We seem to forget how we felt driving 1.5 hours, taking another hour to get a parking space (defensive parking), herding around the store with the 1000's of other people. The uncomfortable sacks they give you. Bumping our shins on the dolly things you use for the boxed furniture. (or tripping over them.) Leaving and remembering something else we wanted, but we are already half way home. We are exhausted and annoyed. But a couple weeks later, we see an ad or get the catalog and.. "Ohhhh...we gotta go to IKEA!!, look at that duvet cover!!"

[slskenyon]

There's an IKEA nearby where I used to live in Massachusetts--and that was quite an experience. My mother wanted to pick up some new furniture for my little brother's new apartment, and I'll never forget the "Why we don't have any staff and can't help you" explanation they had on the wall there.
Brilliant.

[stephanie]

Sounds like a nice table to put stuff on too..
Don't you just love new furniture?

[newwavegurly]

Okay, brace yourselves... I've NEVER been to an IKEA. I've never lived even remotely close to one.

I've driven by one or two when up in the Northeast, but that's about it.

One day, perhaps.

[Neil]

When you say, "the table has been put together," do you mean Allan put it together (after six hours of struggling)?

[Alison]

Neil, Neil, Neil. WE put it together, and it took less than an hour.

I've been known to assemble IKEA furniture all by myself (that's a link, so click it).

:)

[Neil]

I used to think Allan was lucky to find you because you're witty and pretty, but he really hit the lottery to find a woman who puts together her own IKEA furniture.

[booby gonzales]

it wasn't the ikea anne's friend janine works at, was it? maybe she coulda hooked you up with a discount!