I See-a IKEA

IKEA dressers

 “You know what it’s like when you go to IKEA and ... before you know it you've dropped five hundred bucks, not because you needed any of this crap, but because it was so damn cheap?” ― Maria Semple


"What do you want to do tomorrow?" Mike asked me yesterday about 15 minutes after we returned from Ravenna.
"I don't know. Let's just stay here, maybe." I was a little tired from traveling three days in a row.  When I'm by myself, I usually space out my visits to places so I have a little time to breathe. "We can maybe go to Rome on Saturday if you want."  Rome. Saturday. Crowds. Heat. Oh, joy.

Inside the IKEA bus

"So, what do you want to do here tomorrow?" Mike wondered.

"We can get the train tickets and then spend the day in a cafe if you want," I told him. "Or, we could go to IKEA."  Every apartment we stay in here has IKEA everything. My Bologna flat has IKEA furniture, cabinets, bed, dishes, flatware, and pots and pans.  Everyone I know loves IKEA, and I thought I'd liked to see the place. Mike preferred the cafe idea and wasn't wild about the IKEA idea, so I let it drop.

ODDA wardrobe I liked

This morning, we headed to the train station.  While we waited for the light to change to cross the street to the train station, I noticed a sign for the IKEA bus.  EUREAKA!! Since IKEA is in a Bolognese suburb, they have a bus come into the historic center every hour all day so the masses can get to IKEA easily.  Long story short: We bought the train tickets and caught the bus to IKEA.

Never having been to IKEA, we weren't sure what to expect, but as we entered the behemoth of a building, I told Mike that Charlene had mentioned it when we were in Rome.

Paper plates, napkins, cups

"We were in the Vatican Museum where you have to walk through three thousand rooms to get to anywhere you want to go," I explained.  "Charlene said it was like IKEA. You walk keep on going and going and going and going."

If you've been to IKEA, you know how true that is.  We entered and immediately had to walk upstairs to the entrance.  You can't get anywhere in that store without walking through the entire place. You want to look at plates? First you have to walk through storage, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, studies, furniture, and heaven knows what else before you even get to take the stairs down to the first floor where you walk through textiles, rugs, business, and toilet paper just to get to kitchenware.

Outdoor furniture (and flooring)

Yes, I said toilet paper. They have grey, lilac, bright green, and bright orange toilet paper.... Six rolls for 1.99 euro. What a deal. They also have purple and green paper towels. I was tempted.

 I admit it. I love the place and saw a zillion things I need want. I love things that help organize.  I love them, and I buy them. I never use them. I try, but organizing is like exercising to me. I like the tools, but I hate the actual activity.

Outdoor flooring I need want

I want the Odda closet wardrobe (3 photos above) because my closet is crap, and for $299, I could fix it easily.  I also liked the outdoor flooring (above and below). All you have to do is lock the pieces together, and you change the look of plain, old concrete patios. By the way, if you don't have any outdoor furniture to put on that outdoor flooring, IKEA can sell you tables, chairs, lounges, umbrellas, hammocks, summer plates and cups and towels and grills.

Flooring on display

IKEA is currently building a store in Las Vegas, and the darn thing is going to be about a mile from our house. I'm in trouble.