Shop ‘Til You Drop

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For the past two months, we’ve been on an intense hunt for the perfect office desk.  We’ve been to a dozen of antique and contemporary stores in Charlotte and scoured the Internet without any luck.  Part of the problem was that our dream desk was very specific.  It had to be about 40 inches wide (an odd size), fancy and ornate, and look good from both the front and the back.  Oh, and it couldn’t cost $2,000.  Obviously.

 

So today, we piled into the car and drove an hour north to Hickory, the ‘furniture capital of North Carolina.’ 

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We went to fifteen stores over six hours.  I am not exaggerating.  FIFTEEN STORES.

 

Eventually, I felt like this:

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But the Husband was still going strong.  He can shop fo-ev-er.  Shopping machine.

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We took a break for some fuel.  We were pleasantly surprised to find a vegetarian and gluten-free friendly restaurant in Hickory.  It was called Crescent Moon Café.

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We split the vegan nachos.  Yum.

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And I got the vegetarian French Onion soup (typically made with beef broth) – it was so good.  And a salad.

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Then…. it was back to shopping.

 

And more shopping.

 

Finally – I spotted a potential desk!  Like a lion tracking down her prey, I quickly circled it, confirmed it fulfilled all our requirements (and checked the price tag), and then flung my body over the top of it.  “Kriiiiistien!  I FOUND A DESK!”

 

He came and inspected it (it’s for his office):

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Tried it on for size.

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And then… bless his soul… finally handed over his credit card.

 

Mission:  Accomplished.  I may never go shopping again.

{ 43 comments }

 

  • Brooke @ sweats & sweets January 7, 2012, 7:49 pm

    Thats too funny! I couldn’t imagine shopping that long and be the only one wanting to go home!

  • Kristin @ Wounded Fawn January 7, 2012, 7:54 pm

    I like the leopard print chair he picked out to go with it! 🙂

  • Katie @ Peace Love & Oats January 7, 2012, 7:55 pm

    haha that sounds exhausting, but I’m so glad you found one!!!

  • Christine @ BookishlyB January 7, 2012, 8:03 pm

    Ugh- reminded me of car shopping when I was a kid with my parents. Car after car, hour after hour.

  • Trainer Kjirsten @ Balanced Healthy Life January 7, 2012, 8:03 pm

    I’m happy you guys ended up with a desk you both like by the end of that long shopping trip! I’m not a huge shopper if I’m looking for something in particular. I like knowing what I need to buy and going to one store to get it!

  • Deanna January 7, 2012, 8:04 pm

    Did you get that awesome chair too?
    He looks awesome on Leopard print!

    The desk looks like a beautiful find.

    • CaitlinHTP January 8, 2012, 11:39 am

      I know! I loved that chair. But it was $$$. 🙁

  • Rebecca January 7, 2012, 8:07 pm

    This is such a cute post. Glad you found one! 🙂
    I’m not a big shopper, but my sister could go for hours most of the time.

  • Carin January 7, 2012, 8:07 pm

    Nice legs…. cabriole I believe.

    (The desk, not the husband)

    • Miranda @ Living One Bite at a Time January 7, 2012, 8:27 pm

      Hahahaha, that’s really funny!

      Wow… that desk is beautiful! I’d be exhausted after shopping that much, too. I can barely stand an hour in the mall before I’m begging to go home.

    • Carin January 7, 2012, 8:51 pm

      Sorry, didn’t mean to imply that the hubster doesn’t have nice legs (his are presumably not of the same style).

  • Army Amy* January 7, 2012, 8:10 pm

    I may be able to run for hours, but I can only shop for 30 minutes before I need a break. Shopping is exhausting! I’m glad your shopping excursion was fruitful!*

  • Hillary January 7, 2012, 8:13 pm

    Those nachos are making my mouth water. Beautiful desk!

  • Leanne (Bride to Mrs.) January 7, 2012, 8:24 pm

    What a gorgeous desk 🙂

  • Anna @ Blissfully Banana January 7, 2012, 8:35 pm

    Oh my goodness! I just bought some furniture myself and it took forever! I can’t image it taking as long as your shopping trip was though!

    Oh and that French Onion soup looks delicious! Awesome it’s vegetarian!

  • sonia the mexigarian January 7, 2012, 8:54 pm

    LOL. congrats on the new desk 🙂 i can’t imagine shopping for that long. and it’s such a beautiful desk too!! all the hard work and patience paid off 🙂

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) January 7, 2012, 9:09 pm

    I hear ya…we went shopping for a bed the other day and came home empty handed and warn out. It doesn’t help that they pounce you like prey when you walk in only to look around and find nothing. Glad you got what you two were looking for!

  • Kat @ Balance & Spice January 7, 2012, 9:13 pm

    I felt too nauseous to work out…but somehow managed to muster my strength to go shopping. Oh Kat. Priorities. (It’s ok, though…I just switched my off-day to tomorrow. Thank goodness for Sundays.)

  • Laine January 7, 2012, 9:26 pm

    That is a gorgeous table! Totally worth the 16 stores.

  • kathleen @ the daily crumb January 7, 2012, 9:38 pm

    first of all, how in the world did you find a husband that loves to shop?! amazing. second, i LOVE french onion soup. what a fun day!

  • Ann @ Day by Day January 7, 2012, 9:51 pm

    I love the one you chose! And I definitely can identify with how you felt… I love to shop, but I definitely hit a major wall before too long and I can’t go in one more store! At that point snack time is usually my best option.

  • kwithme January 7, 2012, 10:14 pm

    I hear you on the frustrations of finding a desk. I have been keeping an eye out for about a year. My problem was height. I have upper back issues from using my computer ( and knitting and reading). Computer ergonomics is important. I needed a table height of 25-26 inches (low) and the screen at eye level. Oh and modern and attractive since I work in my living room. Well, we ended up building it from parts at Ikea last week. So far, so good.

  • Julia January 7, 2012, 10:37 pm

    Hickory! I was just there a few weeks ago. My boyfriend’s family lives there. Yay about the desk!

  • BethT January 7, 2012, 10:44 pm

    I totally went to high school in Hickory and lived there the first few years I was married!

  • Chelsea January 7, 2012, 10:45 pm

    Woooo! Way to get work done haha.

  • Khushboo January 7, 2012, 10:48 pm

    Wow you’re hubby is a shopping beast! I’m so impressed a vegan option of nachos were available on the menu!

  • colleen January 7, 2012, 11:13 pm

    Wow! 15 stores for desk. My hubby would have thrown in the towel after two, unless he was on the hunt for a video game.

  • Sarah January 7, 2012, 11:41 pm

    mmmmm vegan tacos!! I want some! Glad he finally found his desk 😉

  • Socal Rachel January 8, 2012, 2:23 am

    That is a beautiful desk.

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin January 8, 2012, 8:08 am

    That sounds like it was a long day! I can go for hours if I’m shopping without a purpose, but hunting for something specific is so much more tiring. 😛 I’m glad you finally found a desk though!

  • Sarah January 8, 2012, 9:23 am

    I am a terrible shopper- I would NEVER last 6 hours. Hats off to you for surviving the shop-a-thon!

  • Alex @ Raw Recovery January 8, 2012, 10:32 am

    Wow, what a guy to be able to shop that long! I have virtually no patience when it comes to shopping. Even if it is for me…

  • Emily January 8, 2012, 12:17 pm

    I feel like you when shopping too. Lucky for me, so does my husband. He is NOT a shopper.

    Glad you finally found the right thing though! Its beautiful!

  • Kelly January 8, 2012, 12:40 pm

    Too funny!!I love that your husband is a shopper!

  • Lexi @ Cura Personalis Foodie January 8, 2012, 1:58 pm

    Haha I know–furniture shopping really takes it out of you. It’s a bit less fun than clothes shopping, but it takes twice the effort to find something big like that!

  • Amber K January 8, 2012, 2:08 pm

    Okay, I think I would have given up about two-three stores in. You are a trooper! That’s so great that you actually found a desk though.

  • Allison January 8, 2012, 4:28 pm

    Too cute and funny! Congrats on the awesome find 😀 I def consider myself a shopper, but after a few hours it can be exhausting… Thankfully you nabbed some tasty looking fuel!

  • Sara@RunningInPinkProject January 8, 2012, 6:45 pm

    Ive been to Hickory and honestly would have never thought to look for a vegetarian place there. Very cool! Nachos look yummy. 🙂

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) January 8, 2012, 10:26 pm

    Really nice desk! Very sophisticated looking 🙂

  • Taliyah Brigman January 29, 2012, 1:44 am

    Appreciate you sharing, great blog article.Much thanks again. Much obliged.

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