‘Tis the season to shop ’til you drop!
This weekend my Mom and I went on our 4th annual girl’s shopping trip to the Mall of America!
It’s one of the highlights of the Christmas season for me, as we get to spend the entire day together shopping. What more could two gals ask for? ;)
We woke up at the crack of before dawn, hit up Starbucks and were on our way to Minneapolis by 6:30am. At 10:00, we entered the mall in all its glory. You couldn’t help but get into the holiday spirit, what with the twinkling lights cascading down from the ceiling, and the hustle and bustle of the crowd.
Two hours of intense shopping later, we were famished.
We searched high and low for the America’s Next Great Restaurant winner’s place – Soul Daddy, right? – but alas, it was nowhere to be found. Charley’s Subs did the trick.
I don’t know what it is about Charley’s, but both my Mom and I are obsessed with their grilled subs. Maybe it’s the free samples they’re always hawking out front.
All I know is the Chicken Teriyaki sub with pickles totally hit the spot, and fueled me for another 4 hours of shopping. Muwahaha!
After six hours at the MOA, here’s what I walked away with – thoughtfully modeled by Ben. Christmas gifts for the fam (unpictured, obvi,) a fleece vest from Old Navy, belt from Forever 21’s accessories shop, electric eyelash curler from Sephora, and anti-static hair products from Aveda.
I am THIS CLOSE to chopping my hair short again, as the level of static my hair experiences in the winter is absolutely unreal. I begged the Aveda girls for help, and this is what they came up with. Fingers crossed!
Right, but what did you bring me?!
As we walked out of the mall, we were (un)pleasantly surprised to find this. SNOW! There was already 2 inches on the ground, and the fat, heavy flakes were still coming down hard and fast (twss.)
Luckily our next stop wasn’t too far away. It was right across the street, in fact. IKEA!
IKEA is the furniture store equivalent of Target. Don’t even think about walking out of there without dropping at least $100.
After slamming a couple Reese’s Trees for a pick-me-up (they’re back!) we headed in.
We oo’ed at the kitchen setups,
and ahh’d over cute bedroom linens.
But we really went cuckoo for the kitchen wares – a foodie’s dream come true.
Whisks, colanders and dishes, oh my!
This is the part where the cart really started to fill up.
I couldn’t help but throw in measuring cups, cutting boards, pastry brushes and a whole lot more for “Santa” to bring me for Christmas.
$3.99 knife sets make me happy. :)
Here’s my loot:
Individual sized bowls and baking dishes, napkins (really?), package clips and a dish brush,
new bedding for the guest bedroom,
and new drapes/curtains for the kitchen. I HEART these!
By the time we left IKEA, the roads were a complete mess. I ran into a curb, actually, so we said to heck with it and grabbed dinner at the closest restaurant we could find. This ended up being T.G.I. Fridays, where we shared pot stickers, Chicken Bruschetta Pasta,
and an all too small serving of Oreo Madness.
After crashing at the hotel, we got up early the next morning to head home before the next storm hit. Sticking with the closer to the hotel the better theme, we made a quick stop at IHOP for breakfast first!
I’ve actually never eaten at an IHOP before, but pretty much got the gist when they slammed the syrup caddy down with my mug of coffee. ;)
Pancakes it is!
I panicked and got Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. They were pretty much the best thing I’ve ever eaten.
Supplemented by eggs, hash browns and bacon which, well, weren’t.
Another successful girls trip, in the books! :D
I wish the story ended there…but it doesn’t. I locked my keys in my car at a gas station on the way home. BLERG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Similar to losing glasses in hotel rooms, locking my keys in my car is also one my things. One of my highly obnoxious, inconvenient, irritating things. Once in college I locked them in my car twice in one day. When I lived in Minneapolis a few years ago, I locked them in my car two weeks in a row, not just at the same gas station, but at the same pump.
Luckily AAA saved the frickin’ day, and we were on our way 20 minutes later. Hallelujah!
You should just use static guard on your hair brush … Works like a charm. It’s part of my daily regimen :)
I, too, lock my keys in my car. Duh!
Keep us posted on how well the eyelash curler works. I have wanted one for a while.
i always run to sephora or nordstrom first…i prioritize buying MAC lipglass and those little travel tubes of benefit mascara above buying any real items, like clothing or gifts(or dog food, i’m ashamed to admit).
im from new jersey, and i still have friends who go to other states and take triumphant photos of themselves maneuvering a gas pump(is that even the right word…?). i give you respect for doing that stuff on the regular and not getting locked out every time, it seems like a delicate task! i know i absolutely would mess it up, haha. :)
OMG – I was at Ikea yesterday too!
At Tim’s like these you make me want to sign up for CAA, I can’t believe I haven’t done that yet. Also, idea…I now. I went there two weekends ago and just had to walk away. I don’t even remember why we popped in there. But I did get some black icecream bowls….er I mean indIvidual sized bowls.
Hmm when I first walk into a mall? I like going to Zara!
Just run a dryer sheet over your hair – it’ll get that static right out!
And, oh yeah, my Nissan Altima hybrid won’t let you push the lock button on the door while the keys are still in the car. Genius!
H&M is always the first place I run to!
I bought a duvet cover at IKEA with complementing throw pillows in the same pattern as your kitchen drapes. Super cute pattern.
I usually head to Barnes and Noble to get some coffee first when I head to the mall. I once locked my car keys in my car 2 days in a row at work. I always take it as a sign from above that I need to slow down and focus on what I am doing at the moment.
You didn’t miss anything with Soul Daddy’s. We also ate there shortly after it was opened and the food was not good! My go-to food stop at the MOA is Magic Pan Crepe Stand. Love it!
I always park in the west ramp so I can hit up the Crepe Stand, H&M, DSW, Aveda and then head to the Loft.
Looks like your mother daughter trip was a lot fun!
Oh man, your day in Bloomington, home of the Mall of America and IKEA……….how fun! Since I live 15 min’s away, I don’t go often, cuz, it’s so available? But, IKEA>…….love love love! I went there a few mths back and found all I could carry in and out in about 30 min’s, yay…………….
Sorry that keys locked in car thing happened UGH!
Soul Daddy’s didn’t last long, I guess it was due to finances or something……:(
I have those linens!