A New Favorite Store

So there I was. Walking along peacefully in California. I was there yesterday for work and required sustenance for the return trip. Luckily for me, a Cheesecake Factory was just six miles from the airport. Which, in California traffic, only took three hours and twelve minutes to reach!

It was worth the drive. We arrived at a neat little mall called the Sherman Oaks Galleria. I got all excited thinking it was related to the Galleria malls of Texas, which I love. If this IS a real Galleria, I think it is a distant cousin. Or they forgot to build the rest of it. Or they couldn’t afford the California rent. It was a nice little mall, but very small. No real stores.

Of course, they had this. Which is really all that matters.

I ate bread. Of course. Their bread is insane, and I can never decide if the honey wheat is better, or if I like the sourdough best. So I slather on more butter for another debating bite.

I tried something new! So unlike me in a place like this! This is the BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad. I watched my brother-in-law try this a few months back and knew it was something that I could love. While it was good, I wouldn’t get it again. The Factory Chopped Salad is still my favorite salad there, and maybe I shouldn’t mess with a good thing!

But my new discovery was this. An affordable home store that decorates just like I dream of decorating? I was stunned. Really! It had great stuff for incredible prices!

Welcome to Urban Home. And I kinda went crazy, for the whole twenty minutes that I had to spend here. Luckily for Hubby, this chain of stores doesn’t exist in Arizona. I’m heartbroken by this news, since I would be in here all the time.

Isn’t this table centerpiece beautiful? Just some glass apothecary jars with looks-real fake fruit. I love this idea but would house it in shorter containers so people don’t have to crane their necks around apples to have a decent conversation during dinner.

So natural and fruity and organic. Fruit is a great way to add color and texture.

I’ve been looking for an ottoman that is transportable from room to room, depending on where I want to read. We have a reading nook in the office by a bright window, and I love reading in there. We also have a reading nook down by the fireplace in the dining room, but we all know that it’s next to impossible to read without feet properly propped up.

$50 seems to be the starting point for small ottomans. I didn’t want to drop that kind of change on something that I would use all the time. So when I found this bright, fun, happy green guy for just $19.99…I didn’t even think twice.

I love when stores organize things according to color. It makes finding what my brain is imagining so much easier! I love this group of happy yellow accessories. I wanted one (or two…or six) of each but refrained.

Why, oh why, isn’t there an Urban Home near my house?

I would say half of their store was decorated in my colors…blue and green. Any idea why I would possibly be in love with this place?!

I don’t know what happened here, but it fits. So I guess I will take it home.

In fact, it looks like I could have gotten a few more things. Dang you, self-control! I hate when you chime in at all the wrong times!

At least you had the sense to buy something at your new favorite place. Consider this just a giant fridge magnet memento. I prefer to remember my trips in weird ways.

In this particular case, an ottoman.