Out and About: Ikea (Cincinnati)

On yet another sultry summer weekend, we decided to get out of town. We needed a few items and the Better Half had been itching to get to an Ikea for some time, so we headed to the closest location. There is an Ikea just North of the 275 loop in Cinci on I-75.

I often forget how pretty Cincinnati can be. We had first headed into Kentucky, then took I-75 over the river into Cincinnati. When you come around a curve and see the cityscape, it is a really pretty city. And, the Ohio River gives this land undulations! Wow, its not just flat! Cinci is the home to some good local eats, but we passed on Skyline, Gold Star (funny little milkshake video), Graeters and even Montgomery Inn. This was a shopping trip. Sigh. Besides, we have Skylines here in Indy, and I have to go by myself there. Somehow the mountain of cheese on the food doesn't excite the Better Half, and in fact makes her kind of nauseous.

Ikea brings a lot of fond memories to the Better Half. It reminds her of her very enjoyable 6 years in Toronto. On the flip side, it also brings back some not so pleasant memories, such as when she was so poor when first moving to Toronto that she considered buying a $99 kids bed. Anyhow, while I'm not a shopping enthusiast, somehow I don't mind the occasional trip through the sprawling Ikea stores. Maybe it is part of my Scandinavian heritage? Maybe it is the collection of funny commercials found on YouTube? Maybe it is the lingonberry infused oxygen they pump into the stores? Maybe it is the smell of the swedish meatballs that waft across the mezzanine from the cafeteria? Maybe it is the au pairs? Whatever, it is kind of fun for an occasional trip.

There is no reason to bore you with the dresser and other items we bought. We did share a value meal, which consisted of 2 hot dogs, a bag of chips and a fountain beverage (we got the lingonberry drink, of course) for $2. You can get a single hot dog for $0.50.

I enjoy the food section, conveniently located after the store check-out, right before you load up at curbside. We picked up some Swedish chocolates, and I enjoyed the color and symmetry in the jam wall.

As much as I wanted to, we did pass on the cheap Swedish meatballs. We will return, we have remodeling plans, and hope to finish out a basement room soon.