‘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!
Ris 12.05.2011
I agree with you–week one was hard and I definitely got gym fatigue. Maybe it’s time for some yoga or exercise DVDs this week!
Amy 12.05.2011
I looked for Soul Daddy when I was at the MOA, too, but didn’t find it. I learned later that that restaurant (along with the others) all closed. Apparently they didn’t do too well.
Lindsey 12.05.2011
Oh that sucks!! I thought it’d do great! Bummer!
Teresa K. 12.05.2011
MMm – gotta say – go back to IHOP – promise and try their Harvest Grain Pancakes – the pecans chopped up inside make it almost worth it!
Hope 12.05.2011
The Mall of America looks amazing! I’ve always wanted to go there. I think your girls trip with your mom is super cute :) I always stop at Williams Sonoma at the mall. I love that store!
Ally's Sweet & Savory Eats 12.05.2011
I always stop at Barnes & Noble!
Brittnie (A Joy Renewed) 12.05.2011
What a fun girls trip. I love the bedding and kitchen curtains you selected!! I always hit up Ann Taylor Loft first when I go shopping. Love their clearance sales!
Amy 12.05.2011
I just discovered Francesca’s and it is my absolute favorite. So much cute stuff.
Alisha 12.05.2011
You will love Aveda’s Air Control! It is amazing for static hair! :)
Megan 12.04.2011
I love hearing about your adventures with your mom. It seems like you have a such a great relationship. Sounds like you both had fun on your trip and found some great deals.
Erin Kennedy 12.04.2011
Hi Kristin!
I am so excited I ran across your blog. We have a mutual friend – Liz Whitehead Burton. She actually showed me your blog about a year and a half ago at her house and I always meant to bookmark it and forgot. I just came upon it right now on Stumbleupon and I am so happy I did. I love it. I would love it if you checked out my blog too! http://www.mythirtyspot.com.
Nice to meet you – virtually. Lol!
Erin Kennedy
Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn 12.04.2011
Ahahah omg. Poor Ben. I love those Christmas tree Reese’s! They make me feel super festive, kind of like when I eat holiday-themed M&M’s #happyholidays
kayla 12.04.2011
um, yeah, definitely locked my keys in the car (brand new, no power locks, not used to it) twice in the same day…in two different cities. it cost me $150 to free them that day. Oh blondes…
Kelsey 12.04.2011
we were just at ikea last weekend – it was SO.CRAZY.BUSY! in the photo with you and your mom in the car after IHOP, where is that jacket from? i can only see the top part of it, but i’ve been looking for one similar to yours FOREVER!
Iowa Girl Eats 12.05.2011
I think I got it at Younkers a few years ago!
Jeri 12.04.2011
You know how you leave a store without that one purchase, saying to yourself that if you are still thinking about it in a couple weeks you’ll go back and get it? I did that with a stainless steel tri-ply 3 qt. saucepan @ IKEA and I am still coveting it and am wondering if I could just pop up there some day w/out the hubby knowing. :)
The first store I stop at in MOA is H&M!!! LOVE IT! Des Moines NEEEEEEDS one…like ASAP!
Megly 12.04.2011
I was at MOA the same day you were!! Too funny :) And I was pretty bummed about Soul Daddy, too- but the one time I walked by there (in the short duration it was open), it seemed overpriced and not-so-good. But I’m glad it sounds like you had fun overall!
nicoleigh 12.04.2011
I think I’ll stick with Target. :)
But I so wish I could go to an Ikea! The last one I went to was last year….in Germany. So of course, I couldn’t get anything that I ‘needed’.
Someday I’ll get to one!
Jessica @ Stylish Stealthy & Healthy 12.04.2011
Ive only been in an Ikea once and I still have dreams about skipping down the aisles and grabbing everything in sight… And I’m actually not a huge mall fan, I get kind of claustrophobic in them. Much more of a TJMaxx girl.
Karie @ The HoB 12.04.2011
Oh I love IKEA and I love the Aveda Air Control, it is awesome!!!! And I have really fine hair that is forever flying all over the place!
Shelley 12.04.2011
I locked my keys in my car 3 times in high school. I think two times in the same week or month. The second time it happened I had a friend call my parents because they would be nicer to her than they would’ve been to me about driving 30 minutes round-trip to bring spare keys. Luckily my car keys have a remote on them so I don’t do that anymore… now I just accidentally misplace my gas cap key!
Tracie Marshall 12.04.2011
IKEA! Oh, heck yes! It’s heaven…that store rules! Looks like you had a great time with your mom!