I blame Memphis.. or Thank Memphis...

Two Saturday's ago we decided to go out and buy a smaller coffee table. Since we are making way for two people which bring with them lots of "things" getting a smaller table made sense.

So, last weekend was great just Gabe and I drove to Ikea and found the great new table, had lunch, browsed Baby Gap and Pea In a Pod, and bought a twins book at Barnes and Noble.

Sunday we put the table together and LOVED it. Sunday night Memphis took a bite out of the corner of the TABLE. The yelling at that point was not pretty, and the thought of taking him to the shelter was VERY appealing.

Gabe called Ikea and was told that we could purchase a replacement top. Okay, that works.. problem solved.

Which brings me to last Saturday. Around 3:30 we got ready to go to Ikea, which is about an hour away. We thought it would be fun to take Elianna to Benihana's since it was her favorite restaurant. We could take a different way home and stop at the Concord Benny's. Gabe called and we couldn't get a table until 9 p.m. Too late!

3:55 p.m. We leave the house, and begin researching restaurants on Gabe's iphone.

4:15 p.m. We stop for a snack at a gas station because the pregnant woman realizes she is hungry because she yacked her breakfast/lunch up while at Home Depot earlier in the day.

4:30 p.m. Call Benihana in San Francisco for reservations. They are also booked until 9 p.m., but say that the wait is currently one hour. Hummm... that is an option, I guess.

4:59 p.m. Arrive at Ikea, Elianna and I wait in the car and continue to look for restaurants for A LONG TIME.

6:02 p.m. FINALLY got the new table top. Plan to drive to San Mateo (40 minutes) to go to the Melting Pot (fondue restaurant). We had never been and we were all excited.

6:05 p.m. I realize that San Mateo means we must drive through the city and cross the Bay Bridge. Bumper to Bumper... we do it anyways, pay the toll, and sit in traffic.

6:40 p.m. While sitting on the bridge I call the melting pot to see if we can get our name in. Booked for the night!

6:42 p.m. Whip out the GPS and call the Burlingame Benny's (this is just outside of the city and 12 miles from where we were on the bridge.) They say that the wait is about an hour. Should have gone there, but I proceed to tell Gabe that the S.F. Benny's is only three miles away and I had never been to that one. STUPID MOVE! Do you know how long it takes to drive three miles in the city?

7:18 p.m. Arrive at the San Francisco Benny's. Elianna and I go inside and Gabe heads off to park the truck. The wait time is 45 minutes. I admire the non-alcoholic drink menu and order the Benihana Fruit Punch. Yum!

7:30 p.m. Still no Gabe and I left my phone on the bed when Miss Serena Hope called to tell me that she "Learn-dead to tie her shoes."

7:35 p.m. I find the phone I ummmm left on the bed and call Gabe. He is in a parking garage, which was full, but the attendant still wants him to pay. Gabe explains to him there are NO spots in the garage and finally is able to leave without paying the parking fee.

7:50 p.m. Still no parking spots

8:02 p.m. Our table is ready and Gabe arrives to pick us up. At this point we are STARVING and mad!

8:22 p.m. We are almost out of the city and I look up the closest restaurant, at this point we will eat anything. Lyon's right by the Ikea... fine..

8:26 p.m. "Arriving at Destination on left..." Huh? An empty building!!!!!!!!! At this point Gabe is fuming mad, Elianna is crying, and all I can do it laugh. What else can you do? I just burst out into the huge roaring belly laugh, it got Eli to laugh so we were okay.

8:29 p.m. Pull into the Emeryville parking garage, lots of restaurants to choose from.

8:34 p.m. Still looking for parking...

8:37 p.m. Park.

8:42 p.m. Spot a California Pizza Kitchen, but the line is out the door.

8:45 p.m. Pasta Pomodoro, fine never tried it, but FINE.

8:47 p.m. Seated and foccacia bread with a pesto dipping sauce placed in front of us...

8:48 p.m. Bread gone!

We had a WONDERFUL meal, the food was fantastic and we joked about the evening. Come to find out the restaurant is a chain and there is one just 15 minutes from our house. Sometimes the nights that you think are horrible end up being the most memorable. On the way home we had a good laugh. We made it home at about 10:30 and I guess I thank Memphis for leading us to a new, delicious, and in-expensive restaurant. Now leave my new table top alone!

Who me?