It’s been an extremely busy first couple of weeks. Between finding and furnishing an Apt. and having my first week of class I haven’t really had time to do much updates. I also have my first test on Tuesday so I’ve been studying all weekend (well most of the weekend, I do have to make time for beer). Anyway, I’m taking a little break from the books and will try and fill you in on what’s been going on.
The Apartment:
After much debate I finally decided on a studio apartment in the East Village.
It is small and unfurnished but I just love the East Village. It’s gritty, alive (which I’ll regret later), lots of nice restaurants and bars and plenty of tattoo/piercing parlors. There is always something going on and I can walk to most places I need to get.
With 3 days to get furnished and moved in I head out to IKEA. Let me start by saying that even though I have been to an IKEA before, I have never shopped in an IKEA.
Julie and I arrive at the IKEA in Brooklyn around 7pm on a Friday night. We decide that a walk through is in order to see everything IKEA has to offer and then we’ll decide on furniture. There are lots of nice things to choose from and we make a list of different options. It takes about an hour and a half to make it through the store. With list in hand it’s time to get shopping. I verify that they will deliver the furniture and head back to the beginning of the store. If you haven’t been to an IKEA before the store is laid out like a giant lab rat maze. You not only get to go through the departments that interest you, you are also forced to go through the useless sections too. First thing on the list is a couch. It has to be small enough to fit in my apartment and cheap enough to throw away after 6 months. Check. Next was a bed; now at IKEA this is a complex task as every part of the bed is sold separately. Bed frame, the ribs to support the mattress, bed head and mattress. After spending way too much time in the bedding section I was finally comfortable that I had a bed set. Next were small furnishings like coffee table, TV stand, rug, pots, sheets, etc. All the small things are picked up and put in your cart as you shop, while the large items have to be picked up (by yourself) from the warehouse at the end. By the time we get to the warehouse an announcement comes over the intercom “attention IKEA customers, IKEA will be closing in 15 minutes. Please take your items to the checkout”. What!! I haven’t got any of my large (and necessary) items yet! No problem, I can do this. First thing, coffee table, Aisle 32 Bin 24, check. TV stand Aisle 33 Bin 41, check. Bed frame Aisle 42 Bin 16, ..not there, shit! “Attention IKEA customers, IKEA will be closed in 5 minutes, please bring your items to the checkout”. Ok, let’s just pick another frame. I don’t care about looks anymore; it just has to be in my price range. Random bed frame, check. Ribs for bed frame, somewhere around here, 3 different types, whatever, grab one and put it on the cart. Mattress, Aisle 46 Bin 52, “Jorgenhymen”, not there! Now one thing I wasn’t going to buy at random was a mattress, I need to be able to get a good night’s sleep. “Attention IKEA customers, IKEA is now closed, bring your items to the checkout immediately”. Fu@k it all to hell!!!! I hate shopping like this!! That’s it, bed will have to wait, I dump off all the bed parts in the middle of the mattress aisle and move towards the checkout area. I feel like I’m forgetting something…. The couch! Where is it? I don’t have an Aisle and Bin! I guess it’ll have to wait till next trip.
We take our remaining items (none of which will allow me to move into my apartment) to the checkout and then on to the delivery area. Delivery arranged for Saturday, sometime between 10am and 6pm. No problem, I guess I’ll just be spending my day in the empty apartment.
After a day of waiting around and another day at IKEA (this time prepared with a backup of everything) and another day of waiting around and a day of putting together the hellish, allen-key ridden, Formica covered, chipboard furniture I finally have a furnished apartment.
The Apartment:
After much debate I finally decided on a studio apartment in the East Village.
It is small and unfurnished but I just love the East Village. It’s gritty, alive (which I’ll regret later), lots of nice restaurants and bars and plenty of tattoo/piercing parlors. There is always something going on and I can walk to most places I need to get.
With 3 days to get furnished and moved in I head out to IKEA. Let me start by saying that even though I have been to an IKEA before, I have never shopped in an IKEA.
Julie and I arrive at the IKEA in Brooklyn around 7pm on a Friday night. We decide that a walk through is in order to see everything IKEA has to offer and then we’ll decide on furniture. There are lots of nice things to choose from and we make a list of different options. It takes about an hour and a half to make it through the store. With list in hand it’s time to get shopping. I verify that they will deliver the furniture and head back to the beginning of the store. If you haven’t been to an IKEA before the store is laid out like a giant lab rat maze. You not only get to go through the departments that interest you, you are also forced to go through the useless sections too. First thing on the list is a couch. It has to be small enough to fit in my apartment and cheap enough to throw away after 6 months. Check. Next was a bed; now at IKEA this is a complex task as every part of the bed is sold separately. Bed frame, the ribs to support the mattress, bed head and mattress. After spending way too much time in the bedding section I was finally comfortable that I had a bed set. Next were small furnishings like coffee table, TV stand, rug, pots, sheets, etc. All the small things are picked up and put in your cart as you shop, while the large items have to be picked up (by yourself) from the warehouse at the end. By the time we get to the warehouse an announcement comes over the intercom “attention IKEA customers, IKEA will be closing in 15 minutes. Please take your items to the checkout”. What!! I haven’t got any of my large (and necessary) items yet! No problem, I can do this. First thing, coffee table, Aisle 32 Bin 24, check. TV stand Aisle 33 Bin 41, check. Bed frame Aisle 42 Bin 16, ..not there, shit! “Attention IKEA customers, IKEA will be closed in 5 minutes, please bring your items to the checkout”. Ok, let’s just pick another frame. I don’t care about looks anymore; it just has to be in my price range. Random bed frame, check. Ribs for bed frame, somewhere around here, 3 different types, whatever, grab one and put it on the cart. Mattress, Aisle 46 Bin 52, “Jorgenhymen”, not there! Now one thing I wasn’t going to buy at random was a mattress, I need to be able to get a good night’s sleep. “Attention IKEA customers, IKEA is now closed, bring your items to the checkout immediately”. Fu@k it all to hell!!!! I hate shopping like this!! That’s it, bed will have to wait, I dump off all the bed parts in the middle of the mattress aisle and move towards the checkout area. I feel like I’m forgetting something…. The couch! Where is it? I don’t have an Aisle and Bin! I guess it’ll have to wait till next trip.
We take our remaining items (none of which will allow me to move into my apartment) to the checkout and then on to the delivery area. Delivery arranged for Saturday, sometime between 10am and 6pm. No problem, I guess I’ll just be spending my day in the empty apartment.
Looks awesome! Now you need to do a short film. I'll fly up and direct. Have fun buddy.
ReplyDeleteNick J
I see all the chefs on Hell's Kitchen smoke, you smoking yet?
ReplyDeleteHave you cut your finger, oyster knife thru ur palm.... come on give us something besides bitchin bout IKEA and your particle board palace.
*chuckles* Yeah. When I was in Germany I used to go into Ikea early in the day as it's always like that at the end of the day. Thus far I've successfully avoided the Ikea in Atlanta (it helps that it is 4 hours away) but I'm hoping to go when I get back up there, maybe. So far the apartment looks good, even if going there was frustrating.
ReplyDeleteLooks great! So I take it we will be sleeping on the floor. :-)
ReplyDeleteLove,
Lisa