tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9896453179277673532024-03-12T21:17:53.603-04:00the urban girl on...urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-70336077080147678812010-02-28T13:21:00.001-05:002010-02-28T13:26:09.656-05:00..."close" encounters of the penal kind.I went to my front door around 6:30 the other night to see how the "snowicane" was progressing (it wasn't), and while I was there I picked up my mail: CB2 catalog...insurance bill...junk mail...Inmate Mail from the PA Dept. of Corrections...junk mail for former...wait, what? <br />
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Yes, my friends - Inmate Mail. PA Department of Corrections.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8CV-S8gFhhy9yjDBFOplSV7urExbwElqabt9H9RQb5Hip3qTHDCN4CzGqXB9OgcjG9bGz6sheaB5amQOHLVcoV1QIXFUVzv4SPCp0ZSEbpRUY-3KOExC_hx6_2XXaeet7KKEruwY/s1600-h/IMG_2025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8CV-S8gFhhy9yjDBFOplSV7urExbwElqabt9H9RQb5Hip3qTHDCN4CzGqXB9OgcjG9bGz6sheaB5amQOHLVcoV1QIXFUVzv4SPCp0ZSEbpRUY-3KOExC_hx6_2XXaeet7KKEruwY/s320/IMG_2025.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">I've hidden the name to protect the "guilty."</span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I immediately looked at the recipient's name thinking...well, lots of things, none politically correct, but mainly, "Why is this in my hands right now? Did I make a new friend that nobody told me about?" </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My eyes darted over to the "To" section of the envelope. Nope. Not my name. Not the previous owner's (legal) name. Hmm. Why do I have mail from a prison? In addition to being cursed, my house also attracts inmate mail? I hope that's not why the house was so cheap. (just. kidding.) </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I put it down intending to just "return to sender"...but only <em>after</em> I posted about it of course. So I picked it up again, and then I looked closely at the address... Right house number - wrong street. Not intended for my house. :)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Naturally as I was putting this together I googled the inmate's name in case one of my neighbors was corresponding with a news-worthy criminal. Nothing came up. Unfortunately. (What? I google <em>everyone</em>.)</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now...do I just drop it back in the mail box as I had planned...OR do I go awkwardly drop it off around the corner at its intended destination? </div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-59407500675572582012010-02-24T00:31:00.000-05:002010-02-24T00:31:07.958-05:00...nom-freaking-tasticness.What? Beyonce can make bootylicious a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootylicious#Cultural_significance">real word</a> and I can't say "nomfreakingtasticness?"<br />
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I acknowledge up front that this post has nothing to do with the house or neighborhood, however, I had to share. A few weeks back I read a post about this chocolate peanut butter stuff on the blog <a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/">(never)homemaker</a>* called <a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2010/02/not-so-sinful-breakfast-monkey-pancakes.html">Dark Chocolate Dreams</a>. Ashley, of (never)homemaker, described it as, "It's basically vegan Nutella (with peanuts, not hazelnuts)." Sold. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZGp_qLK1a7yKEiC-kDLyRk4UCURS9gLfxFU3PZVdlPHm8ciYb8CJAvqqOjz_F4p4ECnn-9r9Y8s-srHAYXBlxRNrlrqh9YFf8DROZUD4XDSaYpNEz4-KlcWGKTBtfwnhDXkm-HQp/s1600-h/IMG_2016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZGp_qLK1a7yKEiC-kDLyRk4UCURS9gLfxFU3PZVdlPHm8ciYb8CJAvqqOjz_F4p4ECnn-9r9Y8s-srHAYXBlxRNrlrqh9YFf8DROZUD4XDSaYpNEz4-KlcWGKTBtfwnhDXkm-HQp/s400/IMG_2016.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mmm...fun to eat!</span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Skip to the third grocery store I looked in...found it! (Why I didn't just wait to look in Whole Foods is beyond me.) I somehow waited 48 entire hours before having a "good" reason to crack that bad boy open, but when I did - oh my! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRJTnvmcbIZZ5NRo9HddY_hVLYGV50b2i20elxbkKoYwa_tpVUqxX3cvV88L-d8P9d6oVhiYmZ0N45HI8okz1VDT4-B4vRU3L1IekWerEixo_vA7tmDtxQ3me5dzyqDM_K6MfAVlb/s1600-h/IMG_2018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRJTnvmcbIZZ5NRo9HddY_hVLYGV50b2i20elxbkKoYwa_tpVUqxX3cvV88L-d8P9d6oVhiYmZ0N45HI8okz1VDT4-B4vRU3L1IekWerEixo_vA7tmDtxQ3me5dzyqDM_K6MfAVlb/s400/IMG_2018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">It's chocolate...it's peanut butter...it's slightly out-of-focus chocolate peanut butter!</span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>The first bite was straight off the spoon and unexpected - there wasn't that initial intense nutty flavor I'm accustomed to with peanut butter. Or even an overwhelmingly chocolate-y or sweet flavor...but then the peanut butter taste kicked in. YUM. <br />
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The jar recommends eating it on a sandwich, or with bananas, or as an ice cream topping - all fantastic ideas in my book - but I really want to try and incorporate this into baking or cooking somehow (maybe <a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2010/02/not-so-sinful-breakfast-monkey-pancakes.html">monkey pancakes</a>??). But since it was around 10pm, and I was not about to make cookies or pancakes or anything else that required cooking, I figured I'd try it atop some ice cream. I heated up about two tablespoons and put it on chocolate chip ice cream (unfortunately I didn't have vanilla).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSEsx1EIn3CbcJBO_td0PsUzVZhq7V0p9_pAnCM61iTICcalGdD7Ol4PB0sI99dXRXevq1KoHUeQRq4bjH5THm_y2ExeauB74AH0tV57qC4nN6Kww_Rvvy1dDVhET-4P7g8vB7Y_2/s1600-h/IMG_2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSEsx1EIn3CbcJBO_td0PsUzVZhq7V0p9_pAnCM61iTICcalGdD7Ol4PB0sI99dXRXevq1KoHUeQRq4bjH5THm_y2ExeauB74AH0tV57qC4nN6Kww_Rvvy1dDVhET-4P7g8vB7Y_2/s400/IMG_2021.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">it puts the chocolate PB on the ice cream</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RJnawo-m0_mTET3tWVC9VKrnzWnDHW7JT0pLddKJQ7Mlb3T0qegcjDgXXzX_5pvjtJO9vKDeTGNYJ6cDGRzvua72s_iZbZxB0I5p3BnOFqPgWgPazhh3mfrrTYBBRFWMDOCPy3df/s1600-h/IMG_2022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RJnawo-m0_mTET3tWVC9VKrnzWnDHW7JT0pLddKJQ7Mlb3T0qegcjDgXXzX_5pvjtJO9vKDeTGNYJ6cDGRzvua72s_iZbZxB0I5p3BnOFqPgWgPazhh3mfrrTYBBRFWMDOCPy3df/s400/IMG_2022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">nom nom nom</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcifFmAS5w-TpB-BwKDE2i1syWiQ7edZWeafJTaFYbBvofpPxMHXSjtU8JAFDwmi0qPf6cTTEBDlWm5aNlugVzOx44d_kA2TEF7IX0wkDoNvf-308zZoIRZDXgYeIQtSCb1VcQTYmQ/s1600-h/IMG_2023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcifFmAS5w-TpB-BwKDE2i1syWiQ7edZWeafJTaFYbBvofpPxMHXSjtU8JAFDwmi0qPf6cTTEBDlWm5aNlugVzOx44d_kA2TEF7IX0wkDoNvf-308zZoIRZDXgYeIQtSCb1VcQTYmQ/s400/IMG_2023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">About 3.5 minutes later.</span></em></div><br />
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It was so good. Oh the fun I'm going to have finding recipies to try this in. oh wait - THERE'S the new home connection! Duh. Oh...wait a second....wait a second.....DARK CHOCOLATE DREAMS EBELSKIVERS!!!!!! <br />
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Hot damn, I think we have a winner for first use of DCD in a recipe AND first use of the ebelskiver pan in new house. Perhaps I'll make a banana ebelskiver batter and put DCD in the middle - monkey pancake-esque, no?<br />
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*(never home)maker is a blog I stumbled upon via Apartment Therapy (or was it The Kitchn? Same difference.). It's full of great vegetarian/vegan recipes, some style & decor tips, and (if you're so inclined) some running tips. (All accompanied by pictures that my pictures aspire to look like.) I eat and I decorate. I don't run. Climb - yes. Lift - yes. "Yog" - yes. Run - not unless being chased. I digress - it's a really fun and upbeat blog that I've added to my reader. I suggest you do the same.urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-5958199167151185462010-02-20T23:33:00.000-05:002010-02-20T23:33:40.487-05:00...Friday night pizza.After my Thursday night, all I wanted to do on Friday night was come home, get some pizza, crash on my couch, and catch up on Burn Notice. (And why is it those are the nights I get multiple texts to go out?? Damn Murphy and his law. Damn it!) But the question was...where to get the pizza?? I've tried one pizza place, Key Pizza, because we drove past it the day I moved down here. The pizza was okay and I think they only have medium and up pizza sizes. I thought it was time to broaden my South Philly pizza horizons and share my findings with you, my dear readers. (what...no sarcasm there <em>at all.</em>)<br />
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I decided to walk a few blocks further than normal to try a new pizza place I've walked by before - Marra's on Passyunk. Apparently Marra's is some kind of South Philly pizza institution or something. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBCrj2TgVV8_BaktyksTKb7IOEX4NvjSdZhH6MvWnouy7IlpyyQhx4STDeBR5dApK-XVOqEasT31ynH9ua61CbMBC8Z03rc5ojBHGWvp0u2cuzFjME8dESDhW9Ud3y3R6O3FswUaZ/s1600-h/marras_ext.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBCrj2TgVV8_BaktyksTKb7IOEX4NvjSdZhH6MvWnouy7IlpyyQhx4STDeBR5dApK-XVOqEasT31ynH9ua61CbMBC8Z03rc5ojBHGWvp0u2cuzFjME8dESDhW9Ud3y3R6O3FswUaZ/s200/marras_ext.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">See how old-timey it looks? That's how you know it will be good. Right?</span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I went <a href="http://www.marras1.com/">online</a> to check out their menu, and was pleasantly surprised to see that they had personal sized pizzas! I'm a big fan of "mini" pizzas (and almost all mini food) - pizzas that I won't be eating for days and days after I get it. My old pizza stand by - Pine Street Pizza - had mini pizzas for about $6-$7, it was perfect. So I was happy to find a potential replacement go-to pizza spot. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Anyway, I ordered a personal pizza with green peppers and picked it up about 30 minutes later. I wasn't expecting this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Ote34n8CjascK2du2ngD1Gnxn9AFb08bR1sGRFtMwffO3JVVvYe4AotSkOuyrd79DKQYg-1UUPXky1CzZ2uOsQfI5OhETSkBX0Kq9mSFBuLjIJ2axpa4SZcwQgnrFBWxl4E0OQAj/s1600-h/IMG_2015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Ote34n8CjascK2du2ngD1Gnxn9AFb08bR1sGRFtMwffO3JVVvYe4AotSkOuyrd79DKQYg-1UUPXky1CzZ2uOsQfI5OhETSkBX0Kq9mSFBuLjIJ2axpa4SZcwQgnrFBWxl4E0OQAj/s400/IMG_2015.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The cheese goes blub blub blub...</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It looked like they hacked up a green pepper into about six pieces and tossed it on the middle of the pizza. I mean seriously - I've never seen such large pieces of peppers on a pizza...it was slightly amusing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once I got past the oversized pepper pieces and unevenly cut slices (in small, medium, and large variety)...I tasted it. I have to say, it was pretty good. I have no deep insight to provide into the texture of the crust or the flavors of the sauce - it was just good, tasty pizza. The price point wasn't that bad either - I paid just under $8 with topping, tax, etc.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Okay, I lied. I do have some notes. The crust wasn't too doughy, but still crispy. Though I would have liked it to be a bit thinner. Oh, and smaller sized chunks of pepper. I would have liked to get some pepper with each bite instead of all at once. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Has Marra's become my new go-to? When I want a mini pizza, yes. Though I might pass on the green peppers next time. </div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-25546233293247731462010-02-12T17:55:00.000-05:002010-02-12T17:55:02.314-05:00...my first piece of "hate mail."So apparently a complete stranger took enough offense to my last post to actually <em>email</em> me. Not just comment, mind you, <em>email</em>! Needless to say, this made my day. (Although, I wish people would stop commenting everywhere BUT the comment section. Makes me look like I have no readers.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_GzIi9PtU4t-6zXZ9wOG63vco1CUZNwKvKeCpYkQGRqfDDrLFLyGI7PWb2RtUjNOah_XvG8kOFMQt4WcIdxVuFYvi6wXUJXEXy1TYQ06knc5d2XENY9S-FHB8ulv4uBDA1Y_WJ0F/s1600-h/veg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_GzIi9PtU4t-6zXZ9wOG63vco1CUZNwKvKeCpYkQGRqfDDrLFLyGI7PWb2RtUjNOah_XvG8kOFMQt4WcIdxVuFYvi6wXUJXEXy1TYQ06knc5d2XENY9S-FHB8ulv4uBDA1Y_WJ0F/s400/veg.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Wow. Where do I begin? With point 1, 2, 3, or 4? Or the link to "the other side?"<br />
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None...I'll just say that it's a free country and if someone felt the need to get that off their chest, by all means, send away. That's the beauty of the social space that is the interwebs. You can pretty much say whatever the hell you want...and if you can't take the criticism, then stick to writing in your diary. <br />
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I'm going to continue to constructively channel my "anger" here.urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-31314586324323130742010-02-11T20:54:00.000-05:002010-02-13T11:04:42.060-05:00...why you don't fuck with my parking spot.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No, I won't pop a cap in yo' ass...but I will get even. </div><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>(<strong>editor's note:</strong> There seems to be some understandable confusion. By "my" spot, I mean the one I dug out and put milk crates in. After five years of city living and over 40" of snow in a five day span, I finally succumbed to the "tradition" of "reserving" a parking spot. I'm writing about the people who didn't observe said "tradition" and moved the crates out of the spot to park there.)</em></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnI_gk-20gO-moztASaz0hpqfhNZCuE52s78JAJIUcBIxzQNAeI3wGsNNHrMKsrJfkq55Tc2-aUCAExGEIPSlA8-CJvOM1rZS0xXotKgphc9Y4Cat1PoCq9A6cKr3YyuKq97y6mD9/s1600-h/IMG_2010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnI_gk-20gO-moztASaz0hpqfhNZCuE52s78JAJIUcBIxzQNAeI3wGsNNHrMKsrJfkq55Tc2-aUCAExGEIPSlA8-CJvOM1rZS0xXotKgphc9Y4Cat1PoCq9A6cKr3YyuKq97y6mD9/s400/IMG_2010.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">These people are going to come out tomorrow thinking they have a nice, clean spot to just pull right out of. WRONG FUCKERS!</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mjpB5wxGsLM6HHj6O1JZmvjHSWjh7YTFxFKOMEWfoOTuspsOoip8C49j9iTkD7H6A1tTh3j4KJbjSAkDngZJS1cXbob1A-yo0BaqKFxBoOL4jFFBVuX_2Y7muvkLn0H1V3SWJ48I/s1600-h/IMG_2011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ct="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mjpB5wxGsLM6HHj6O1JZmvjHSWjh7YTFxFKOMEWfoOTuspsOoip8C49j9iTkD7H6A1tTh3j4KJbjSAkDngZJS1cXbob1A-yo0BaqKFxBoOL4jFFBVuX_2Y7muvkLn0H1V3SWJ48I/s400/IMG_2011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">These people are going to come out and have a lot less snow to shovel! Notice how I spent extra attention on blocking in the front tires. </span></em></div><br />
I decided, when I got home and saw that a nice, clean VW was in the spot I so carefully and arduously spent over an HOUR digging out of this morning, and I saw my crates moved out of said spot and onto the snow bank next to it, that the owners of that car were a special kind of asshole and they would pay. <br />
<br />
Now, if I'd listened to my mother, to enact my revenge I would have let the air out of their tires. (Apparently, this is her M.O. used against an ex's new g/f that parked in front of her house - that's my girl.) Effective, yes, but it wouldn't drive home my point - which is...if you didn't earn the spot, and the objects in the spot aren't yours, FIND ANOTHER SPOT YOU LAZY JACKHOLE.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>UPDATE:</strong> The lazy jackhole/fucker/special asshole was not in the spot when I went to work this morning. However, I am pleased to report that he/she/they had to dig themselves out. Again. So I'm imagining their morning went something like this:<br />
<br />
Asshole #1: "Do do do doo...la la la...oh how nice it will be to get into our car this morning without shoveling again."<br />
Asshole #2: "Yes, I will enjoy the labors of that person who thought that milk crates would keep US out of a nicely shoveled parking spot."<br />
Asshole #1: "Ha! Ha! Ha! Can you imagine the look on their face when they went to - WHAT THE FUCK?? WHY IS OUR CAR SNOWED IN??"<br />
Asshole #2: "WHAT?! But when we stole that spot last night, it was so snow-free!"<br />
Asshole #1: "The karma elves must have come overnight to punish us for our selfish and ingnorant behavior."<br />
Asshole #2: "The snow is not enough. We should shovel out the elderly and then impale ourselves on the ends of our shovels."<br />
The End.<br />
I say there are two assholes because the car looked suspiciously like the one across from me yesterday morning that two yupsters were digging out. And obviously, I took creative license with the end of that dialog. They clearly would not have the self-awareness or courtesy to realize the extent of their douchiness.<br />
<br />
Also, while I almost put my crates back in MY spot...I thought it might start a vicious passive-aggressive crate-removing-snow-shoveling war. And really, I just don't have the time or energy for that.urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-12607555289004134092010-01-31T22:59:00.000-05:002010-01-31T22:59:00.109-05:00...cooking!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I think I said it before and I'll continue to say it - having a functional kitchen, albeit small, makes all the difference when it comes to my enjoyment in and practice of cooking. I am eating way more vegetables and way less processed food. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Today's adventure involved my new food processor (Cuisinart 7 Cup model) and a new recipe for Potato Leek Soup (courtesy of <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/soup/the-perfection-of-simplicity-potato-leek-soup-076790">The Kitchn</a>).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I read a post on the Kitchn about a simple recipe for Potato Leek soup. I like soup and I like easy. Coming off my success at making Lentil Brown Rice Soup, I was game for a new recipe to add to my repertoire.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It basically consisted of frying bacon, cutting up potatoes and leeks, and giving it all a whirl in the food processor. It's good eats for lazy people - my fave. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3EVqEe3v5V347q5Wbmw14DproGATbF6QP4HH3BxuxKp5fyjg4mnGw6Fh_nHDK28IdpKATF6wqhyMlsonGQkMuZMi_sviprcTecV3sIl7drWTFHWMA-mWedQC-xuPShaNdWHw6_XA/s1600-h/IMG_2005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3EVqEe3v5V347q5Wbmw14DproGATbF6QP4HH3BxuxKp5fyjg4mnGw6Fh_nHDK28IdpKATF6wqhyMlsonGQkMuZMi_sviprcTecV3sIl7drWTFHWMA-mWedQC-xuPShaNdWHw6_XA/s320/IMG_2005.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Potatoes and leeks bubblin' away - check out that steam!</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEMXgAGLlBBjUvuHj_TkHFTAM8VRRU6kfliPI5RsxMgQcIRJcBLh1BHFcX3F5tjr3CYA7ZLV-aTCj3cxSSg0iYEiJynLa4rjB3Lx1Su1YnHrY3KTyQoBlqnz70tJnBOCE7c-XKtWG/s1600-h/IMG_2006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEMXgAGLlBBjUvuHj_TkHFTAM8VRRU6kfliPI5RsxMgQcIRJcBLh1BHFcX3F5tjr3CYA7ZLV-aTCj3cxSSg0iYEiJynLa4rjB3Lx1Su1YnHrY3KTyQoBlqnz70tJnBOCE7c-XKtWG/s320/IMG_2006.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">mmm...bacon. And my new toy.</span></em> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I have neither an immersion blender, nor a potato masher (whole other topic)...so mutiple batches had to go into the food processor in order to make this a soup and not, well, hot potato water.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9siu1aNNRpmerH1YyrbFrsocF0FmFtKg7SSMqfcWGWDNMXyGuX-K9kq2u5ubXOCYZ8giaTwoORb2PFoPuImHhT35-fY6O1PTShriUJDuzErCKxp_EyZ0GzBjW_ou-knQoIxUgzmEl/s1600-h/IMG_2007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9siu1aNNRpmerH1YyrbFrsocF0FmFtKg7SSMqfcWGWDNMXyGuX-K9kq2u5ubXOCYZ8giaTwoORb2PFoPuImHhT35-fY6O1PTShriUJDuzErCKxp_EyZ0GzBjW_ou-knQoIxUgzmEl/s320/IMG_2007.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">This could be a recipe for a disatrous mess.</span></em> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatR7md0arUZLkWO6jSvEa3DDnnDNB2M-lVD-HOxHIvXf8y1Z7ONSaFwtnvSl8vyZ3o8r4u1fP88g01HbINIbCnYCGQTbW2YdzCUBPVtuQm2geUxCnDB7aHT7pBJnsUpRSPKZG9qbj/s1600-h/IMG_2008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatR7md0arUZLkWO6jSvEa3DDnnDNB2M-lVD-HOxHIvXf8y1Z7ONSaFwtnvSl8vyZ3o8r4u1fP88g01HbINIbCnYCGQTbW2YdzCUBPVtuQm2geUxCnDB7aHT7pBJnsUpRSPKZG9qbj/s320/IMG_2008.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mess averted. Looks like pea soup. </span></em></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I topped the soup off with some crumbled bacon and thyme. The thyme made a very tasty addition. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QO1acPg9ijC_SjQ9QBKKyGWwJJ-Q1UvFgzK1UuXgB8uU9hbUhVUoG9zG3WW3Z2PNPvwcrXFKo4AaFlKQolz2DZK_N9YPcgJgswbQ0wnqLlK5FhZwxRBfKTySM2aoZFM-lF1Stnde/s1600-h/IMG_2009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7QO1acPg9ijC_SjQ9QBKKyGWwJJ-Q1UvFgzK1UuXgB8uU9hbUhVUoG9zG3WW3Z2PNPvwcrXFKo4AaFlKQolz2DZK_N9YPcgJgswbQ0wnqLlK5FhZwxRBfKTySM2aoZFM-lF1Stnde/s320/IMG_2009.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you squint, you can see the sprig of thyme.</span></em> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Lessons learned for the next time: salt the water more (I never salt my water enough) and process less for a more chunky texture. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Now my freezer will be full of literally three things: Lean Cuisines, soup, and fudge. </div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-11198960925166947032010-01-30T14:16:00.000-05:002010-01-30T14:17:48.341-05:00...picking out my new kitchen.Now that The Wall is down, the kitchen renovations can begin in earnest. Or at least I can do lots of shopping and window browsing. Last weekend - er, I know, this is another tardy post. I've come to the conclusion if there's a picture from my camera involved, the post will be delayed in getting published. Moving on. - I went to Ikea and Home Depot to start looking at kitchen cabinet options. I came home with a buttload of pamphlets:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTMQ7kCrL1vrXmMiNr2r6KnkDb9FWuC9hqOfma-FYs2iV-7t4MOqQkkHhQm2ysGKWw_50H-TZjCj4Ts9buqZz5QoUCsh7H5rNImlGP6MF5ip6rFplTHFCMFmTjJy38eg6c-HO8Nvn/s1600-h/IMG_1969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTMQ7kCrL1vrXmMiNr2r6KnkDb9FWuC9hqOfma-FYs2iV-7t4MOqQkkHhQm2ysGKWw_50H-TZjCj4Ts9buqZz5QoUCsh7H5rNImlGP6MF5ip6rFplTHFCMFmTjJy38eg6c-HO8Nvn/s320/IMG_1969.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Pamphlets!</em></span></div><br />
And the realization that I have VERY particular tastes. I want white cabinets. But I don't want that fake wood crap. I want real wood - just painted white. (Not that anyone but me will know the difference.) But it can't be that off-white color - actual white. And it can't be too country/traditional looking. I want something modern. But not stark modern. Contemporary modern. (Hmm...maybe this is why I'm single?)<br />
<br />
Next up I'm going to hit up the warehouses, et. al. on Washington Ave. Maybe they'll have more of what I'm looking for. <br />
<br />
I'm particular, but I <em>have</em> been planning this kitchen since I put the offer in on the house.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFEgPwtPAfJxFiaZoPuzmyDaC77WzNjI4xqpbCk_-3y6kaUa8uxactnQWxFyDVQQNpKEtr5zdkXqtdXKpbyibdYd3Z7GodR6sLDuZYlKQc4GBR75Q6yWgGZ9Po2dFmtXkAn5Mw_1K/s1600-h/IMG_1971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFEgPwtPAfJxFiaZoPuzmyDaC77WzNjI4xqpbCk_-3y6kaUa8uxactnQWxFyDVQQNpKEtr5zdkXqtdXKpbyibdYd3Z7GodR6sLDuZYlKQc4GBR75Q6yWgGZ9Po2dFmtXkAn5Mw_1K/s320/IMG_1971.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ooh...Ikea Kitchen Planner. My idea of spare time fun.</span></em> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>This is the second floorplan configuration - I originally wanted to move the sink underneath the windows and then move the stove about 2 feet to the left. Then I realized my budget went to removing The Wall. It's okay, this new layout is still SO much better than what it is now:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tSCdTRTpoftFQYw_B6Suwdh_dp-0ZQgPiR9eztoRKgBnpTou-athU2Jeao_nxW_aU-XmF5n9k2rL0mUYFC_YqkJC6SrTlFvLF2uxmYwoZu_p__F-eLmHkDXv2A_urhq_KNz3azKA/s1600-h/kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tSCdTRTpoftFQYw_B6Suwdh_dp-0ZQgPiR9eztoRKgBnpTou-athU2Jeao_nxW_aU-XmF5n9k2rL0mUYFC_YqkJC6SrTlFvLF2uxmYwoZu_p__F-eLmHkDXv2A_urhq_KNz3azKA/s320/kitchen.jpg" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Even though this looks like where country oak comes to die, the cabinets are really maple. </span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEm76Riqv81kG8FV774Zbe-8G7Fx-R6bnH4IHhVhFVmgeI-ylBIQcCvLfMCrc3hUGQnWGcc9y-J-Z4qyaOfCOUforFaDAOXE5FIjLR9tgtAJDjpAVwpOCAG7U8C0bd5HxJFwxqnOh/s1600-h/new_kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEm76Riqv81kG8FV774Zbe-8G7Fx-R6bnH4IHhVhFVmgeI-ylBIQcCvLfMCrc3hUGQnWGcc9y-J-Z4qyaOfCOUforFaDAOXE5FIjLR9tgtAJDjpAVwpOCAG7U8C0bd5HxJFwxqnOh/s320/new_kitchen.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kind of what the new kitchen will look like from same angle.</span></em></div><br />
On the agenda:<br />
- Taking the ceiling up so I can put in 42" cabinets<br />
- Moving the sink over about one foot into the corner<br />
- Putting a pantry next to the fridge, as well as a cabinet above it<br />
- Installing the microwave above the stove<br />
- Putting in a 18" dishwasher<br />
- Additional recessed lighting and pendants above the breakfast bar<br />
<br />
The storage possibilities are going to quadruple. This is good news for two reasons: one, I hate clutter, and two, even though the current kitchen is less than ideal, it's still better than what I had - no counter/surface space and an oven that set off the smoke detector every time you turned it on - and that means I am cooking a LOT more now.<br />
<br />
Just think of the gourmet treats I'll make when I get my new kitchen...mmmm.urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-32048475335035460772010-01-22T15:50:00.000-05:002010-01-22T15:50:27.142-05:00...recipe fail.I'm not a chef, but I think this recipe might be missing something important.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Hr5oxhIPvEOs8P0b_QAmLpP0MZhQI-G5STqKeOdcyDAuNseN101mcF4iED1l76hSnAXkiXzfdJtVuk-s_V3t9HIxJvAb1mwh3iL9t8wty1gXgOWkOG_UJtgBf46Vvf0Rj4Y2xaHt/s1600-h/lentil_soup_fail.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Hr5oxhIPvEOs8P0b_QAmLpP0MZhQI-G5STqKeOdcyDAuNseN101mcF4iED1l76hSnAXkiXzfdJtVuk-s_V3t9HIxJvAb1mwh3iL9t8wty1gXgOWkOG_UJtgBf46Vvf0Rj4Y2xaHt/s320/lentil_soup_fail.bmp" /></a><br />
</div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-60049988331856679332010-01-11T18:02:00.000-05:002010-01-11T18:02:31.562-05:00...the onset of rennovations and cleaning up the mess.First off, if you know me, you know that I hate mess and disorganization more than anything. (Hmm..almost <a href="http://blogs.sundaymercury.net/thegrassyknoll/President-George-W-Bush.jpg">anything</a>.) I can't tell you how many times I've been mistaken for a sales clerk because I straighten up the shelves/racks when I go shopping. <br />
<br />
So with that being said, please appreciate how hard it was for me was when I had contractors come in and <a href="http://theurbangirlon.blogspot.com/2010/01/when-walls-come-down.html">remove a six inch, load bearing brick wall</a>. Because it made my <em>entire </em>house was one giant, disorganized mess. Every square inch. <br />
<br />
I tried my damndest to tarp everything off. I had tarps over the staircase, the cabinets, what little furniture is on my first floor. I sealed off doors with tape. I put my small appliances in the basement. I moved a bunch of <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/ebelskiver-filled-pancake-pan/popup/more-views.html?active=1">kitchen stuff</a> to my bedroom. I put cereal and snacks in the refrigerator. My once overly organized kitchen was in disarray. And covered in plastic.<br />
<br />
When the dust literally setttled, I had a nice new open floorplan and about 1/4 inch of red dust EVERYWHERE. It took me two days and an arsenal of concentrated heavy duty cleaner, windex, a shop-vac, and the help of local take-out restaurants to make my house liveable again. I still haven't tackled the basement and I'm afraid to see how much dust wound up on my kitchenwares stored there. <br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The saving grace in all of that is that the kitchen rennovations have officially commenced! I hope that within the next 6-8 months, my kitchen will look like a combo of this:<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgml1oKOjxTXKrT0sEbgNP6eoDo2Fa69OiFWCrZ88bKyuIo2q4NwX4lh96MJsijGq7c30VNIecvUraPbl2y_4yaaXFy7MI2ukv2t9ayJNkeZjmkUeorj5b5AgPM_BVy83iuYuhAo_PM/s1600-h/3875480588_c322990c26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgml1oKOjxTXKrT0sEbgNP6eoDo2Fa69OiFWCrZ88bKyuIo2q4NwX4lh96MJsijGq7c30VNIecvUraPbl2y_4yaaXFy7MI2ukv2t9ayJNkeZjmkUeorj5b5AgPM_BVy83iuYuhAo_PM/s320/3875480588_c322990c26.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">and this:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinly1ShMz5rJNKlUvyMjhC_Bv5sCkysqz8mZj4-xpciA-CXVkxKXP0uHeghJpRbfUP4zRHGdN0sP7q0f_-jeoLDayfn9AWHQxb99hTOwyd_QulmIgKIYzLIzRWz_q18kVGZvC6tN3e/s1600-h/3910155360_eb85139cf1_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinly1ShMz5rJNKlUvyMjhC_Bv5sCkysqz8mZj4-xpciA-CXVkxKXP0uHeghJpRbfUP4zRHGdN0sP7q0f_-jeoLDayfn9AWHQxb99hTOwyd_QulmIgKIYzLIzRWz_q18kVGZvC6tN3e/s320/3910155360_eb85139cf1_m.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Wish me luck, because holy crap, I will need it. <br />
</div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-74570017537272780202010-01-07T21:57:00.000-05:002010-01-07T21:57:21.662-05:00...when the walls come down!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Ahhh....the day is finally (almost) here. Today is the day that the wall between my dining room and kitchen came down. Woo!! Words can't express how much I loathed this wall and relish in its demise! <br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7bC58cDV_8hn_urkPBa-iJF1sMux1XqoLVwKBhZnCnR9rNKpRljTgvy7y0v7cmW6Vl2N-vcgyiS2ieTyKQfXWfE0-rV3E-v7-nic2BwzgoJ9v6bgpq-qdS-fAiEn6mJV9gIyNx8T/s1600-h/crew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7bC58cDV_8hn_urkPBa-iJF1sMux1XqoLVwKBhZnCnR9rNKpRljTgvy7y0v7cmW6Vl2N-vcgyiS2ieTyKQfXWfE0-rV3E-v7-nic2BwzgoJ9v6bgpq-qdS-fAiEn6mJV9gIyNx8T/s320/crew.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>The workers got to my place around 9:30...by 9:45 they were already going to town and there was exposed brick. These guys did not mess around. By 4:30...the wall was GONE! Granted, they need to come back tomorrow and finish framing the out opening and plug up the gaping hole to my basement, but I am oh-so-happy with what's been done thus far. <br />
<br />
Now, I expected to come home and find the bathroom pipes exposed in the middle of the room, but lo and behold - a plumber magically appeared and moved them! (Okay, he didn't magically appear, but he was summoned by the contractors and made the problem disappear rather quickly.) However, I did come home to a big, fat mess. (Apparently they're coming with a shop-vac tomorrow.)<br />
<br />
Can't wait for the rest to be done, although I expect to be doing a LOT of cleaning this weekend. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3omWSHDenXkm7e6QCeV7MHEMqoIuQwSQXpeZgzWaDNwFCn3m2WcLQc7hwIEW7tJhm9rRKNAzym-9QjNPSEUCGkBsqj8VQwAjG38qUCTVmLRxVJZz2CXgrmamWG_pVgViXRUoV4y4C/s1600-h/before_LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3omWSHDenXkm7e6QCeV7MHEMqoIuQwSQXpeZgzWaDNwFCn3m2WcLQc7hwIEW7tJhm9rRKNAzym-9QjNPSEUCGkBsqj8VQwAjG38qUCTVmLRxVJZz2CXgrmamWG_pVgViXRUoV4y4C/s320/before_LR.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgylabuWbiQk8DEUwk9xQ_9zvso03Jk3j1X0X27Ukhie67c-ZTUg1y_KSmVFfWPY6YptyIo7Pt5b6fKWHTruXnyFuJs3mWcQiSoljOMGAfOK8Zqh4OUmCW0M3JSGyHowgKkfz70Dp/s1600-h/after_LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgylabuWbiQk8DEUwk9xQ_9zvso03Jk3j1X0X27Ukhie67c-ZTUg1y_KSmVFfWPY6YptyIo7Pt5b6fKWHTruXnyFuJs3mWcQiSoljOMGAfOK8Zqh4OUmCW0M3JSGyHowgKkfz70Dp/s320/after_LR.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9W9O8PT_fJA2_PNyWlOMKyS4zgHskIzG8gr4q73GBz7Dx1D4gWrfTFpN_QCw_OfMh4poFWfwyw1Kq_ZnpwRLCWJbuiQIarQV3uo8zx4Xn7dthDBp72HSkLitJfnSjdGKAgNg7zTz/s1600-h/before_kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9W9O8PT_fJA2_PNyWlOMKyS4zgHskIzG8gr4q73GBz7Dx1D4gWrfTFpN_QCw_OfMh4poFWfwyw1Kq_ZnpwRLCWJbuiQIarQV3uo8zx4Xn7dthDBp72HSkLitJfnSjdGKAgNg7zTz/s320/before_kitchen.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOCpzoLTBVoR7YQThmLpcaMloCprJZdR_ER0aQYwcWz9NSXLbKMWQoECZ2jZboWtmndWaE4udinpk87LLnRVfqGOlQE7CWGb_TTt0r9vL3cjzCwWVIV1s2miw3kA5U6JxJPcmFQ2l/s1600-h/after_kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOCpzoLTBVoR7YQThmLpcaMloCprJZdR_ER0aQYwcWz9NSXLbKMWQoECZ2jZboWtmndWaE4udinpk87LLnRVfqGOlQE7CWGb_TTt0r9vL3cjzCwWVIV1s2miw3kA5U6JxJPcmFQ2l/s320/after_kitchen.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-83950003983088817772009-12-19T12:39:00.000-05:002009-12-19T12:39:49.357-05:00...my first snow as a homeowner.<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I will start this off by informing/reminding the audience that even though I'm an urban girl, I grew up in Bucks Co., PA. While it was actually named after William Penn's home, Buckinghamshire, it more appropriately describes all the freakin' deer. I grew up in an area that was equally suburban and rural. And when it snowed, it <em>snowed.</em> It would take me 15 minutes just to get dressed to go shovel the driveway. And then another hour or more to help do it. <br />
</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Suffice it to say, I know snow. So when I looked out the window this morning and realized that there was about 3-4 inches of snow already, and it hadn't stopped coming down, I thought the prudent thing to do would be to go out and shovel before it go too bad. (Note - I have a raging head cold at the moment, so finding the motivation to actually get off the couch and go outside was nothing short of a Christmas miracle.)<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I got out all my snow gear and got dressed. Took my handy new shovel (thanks Mom!) and headed out to brave the elements. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcVYZdxiRQWdrcK5YIWg1BWs0q6nOC-gLCiqlGCDtOz7QEaJ7xU-GjZTMnReDAerP4JmkOhG7qzk3gN2IZpZlauxcGSvm2hUfElO5uu8Ii3vhQoCHlQRT7zXE-o4I72JdTW28G8HN/s1600-h/IMG_1959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcVYZdxiRQWdrcK5YIWg1BWs0q6nOC-gLCiqlGCDtOz7QEaJ7xU-GjZTMnReDAerP4JmkOhG7qzk3gN2IZpZlauxcGSvm2hUfElO5uu8Ii3vhQoCHlQRT7zXE-o4I72JdTW28G8HN/s320/IMG_1959.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Apparently I thought I was going to be shoveling the entire street during a blizzard.</em></span><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Ten minutes later I was back inside. <br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This is the entire area that I'm responsible for keeping clear:<br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFxp-mPcntrqrW0sLBtNzSNvb_gxWBft1HvUdJGlc7djPLcw2hfzMOuTQ_KSV_jjsq9Llkqs7vhsI2z4jan7nVdRsib1XRd4SwZla7HKdzxaboxm3G1hDbSmgNQi5PCa9XIlfr1tw/s1600-h/IMG_1956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFxp-mPcntrqrW0sLBtNzSNvb_gxWBft1HvUdJGlc7djPLcw2hfzMOuTQ_KSV_jjsq9Llkqs7vhsI2z4jan7nVdRsib1XRd4SwZla7HKdzxaboxm3G1hDbSmgNQi5PCa9XIlfr1tw/s320/IMG_1956.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Was so tempted to move my car into that open spot. </em></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;">I've shoveled more snow off my parents' front porch. It took me longer to get dressed than it did to shovel my sidewalk. So I shoveled my neighbor's steps. And then a part of my other neighbor's sidewalk. Then I came back in and had to remove all the layers.</span> <br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Now I'm going to curl up on the couch with my Slanket and a hot beverage, Netflix some "Spooks," and not shovel again until tonight. At which point I will probably just throw on a coat and boots. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh man, I just heard someone start up a snowblower. *sigh*<br />
</div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-44252208123034653422009-12-10T15:34:00.000-05:002009-12-10T15:34:52.967-05:00...my funny mom.I have an unfinished follow-up to the wall paper post that I started on Sunday. My job is getting in the way of my blogging. *sigh* <br />
<br />
In the meantime...yet another reason why my mother cracks me up. This is the tail end of a convesation my mom and I just had:<br />
<br />
Mom: "Alright, I'll talk to you later. I have to go put out."<br />
Me: "hee hee hee hee"<br />
Mom: "I have to go <em>re-stock.</em> I can't say 'put out.'"<br />
Me: "hee hee hee hee"<br />
<br />
This is almost as good as the time my grandmother announced to my mom and her friends that she got a <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hickey+head+bump">hickey</a> on her head.urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-57274761851441347692009-12-05T23:35:00.000-05:002009-12-05T23:35:27.156-05:00...removing wallpaper. Or not.<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A guide of things NOT to do when attempting to remove wallpaper.<br />
</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1. Do not attempt to do any sort of manual labor after only consuming a mere 160 calories. <br />
</div><ul><li>This morning, I got up late and proceeded to go about my day shopping and running errands on an empty stomach. Baaad idea. No good can come of this. As a self-diagnosed "hypoglycemic," I should know better than this.</li>
<li>When I finally did eat around 2:30, I filled up with...a can of soup. Then started to prep the bathroom for paper removal, which included removing a shelf system from behind the toilet (God only knows how they got it in there in the first place) - and this made me want to take a nap.</li>
<li>Considering I didn't really do anything and was tired, I figured I was due for more food. A snack! A snack will do wonders! Filled to the brim with apples & peanut butter, I set off. It didn't work, 15 minutes into wall paper removal I was whiny and cranky and everything sucked. </li>
</ul>2. Do not attempt to remove wallpaper without reading up on the subject. <br />
<ul><li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Watching HGTV and TLC does not count as experience in removing wallpaper. I just went at it armed with a rented steamer, a very dangerous looking scoring tool, and a general idea of what to do.</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZrD1irdMuq7k6ZpYeZ6aXkBgyknYFKWdel_3Zve2Ib-t7in7b7LfGK_2GXli5qGZqNTAGMExlWFLUzpNPcC2CeyrOGeuavhVKNlVrBsZ_Z92KhFcPrChafZccQ8xc0vBamD7YJwm/s1600-h/IMG_1933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZrD1irdMuq7k6ZpYeZ6aXkBgyknYFKWdel_3Zve2Ib-t7in7b7LfGK_2GXli5qGZqNTAGMExlWFLUzpNPcC2CeyrOGeuavhVKNlVrBsZ_Z92KhFcPrChafZccQ8xc0vBamD7YJwm/s320/IMG_1933.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The scoring tool is downright medieval.</span></em><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And while I waited for the steamer to heat up, I "scored" the entire bathroom instead of testing a section that was somewhat out of sight. <br />
</div><ul><li>Somewhere along the way, I wasn't sure where the wallpaper ended and the sheet rock began. </li>
</ul>3. Do not think that removing wallpaper is easy. <br />
<ul><li>Perhaps there are instances where this process is easy, but I had to go and try to remove textured AND painted wallpaper...that the aforementioned very dangerous scoring tool had trouble permeating. </li>
</ul>After about an hour and the feeling that I was not only doing more damage than good, the bathroom was quickly becoming a "Project." I have enough Projects without adding a new one. <br />
<br />
So as of right now, there's a bald spot in my bathroom. I have three options I'm willing to entertain - leave it as it and paint over it, cut a pice of wallpaper and put it up in the bald spot, or....put the damn shelf back and hope no one notices. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbh48xVj8IKhEdeLcfaye9yHAXDkYsXSJqt1irU3d7R-JrUUMIOUpiiZtKiOGZBcl167Muvu5pd52-efd5NlFMn7oEzr-40TEBaro04QoqhE4Fq97T1dRzdkKWeeltftW7UQGRgX1w/s1600-h/IMG_1934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbh48xVj8IKhEdeLcfaye9yHAXDkYsXSJqt1irU3d7R-JrUUMIOUpiiZtKiOGZBcl167Muvu5pd52-efd5NlFMn7oEzr-40TEBaro04QoqhE4Fq97T1dRzdkKWeeltftW7UQGRgX1w/s320/IMG_1934.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">The bald spot.</span></em> <br />
</div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-2263131533424635622009-12-03T12:05:00.000-05:002009-12-03T12:13:51.026-05:00...why my new house will not be home to children.Aside from the fact that I just don't ever see myself reproducing (*shudder*), I apprently am not a baby-friendly person.<br />
<br />
Exhibit A:<br />
I tried to order woven blinds last night, and was told that I couldn't because the company wasn't taking orders due to a customer service issue relating to cord control and safety concerns. So owing to the fact that I didn't see any problems with the cords as they were...I'm apparently not baby-friendly. <br />
(What? Do parents really not know how to keep a cord out of a baby's reach?? Come on. The sales lady and I bonded over this...her rationale, she survived just fine with cords the way they are. Right on lady. Right on.) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDAHytauSGBuFAHysk49Qj0ZYWDmlMU5veqsItgy8eh3SYjJToXxJSKXGRoUsqbsZnBkbIOGqeCucI8rBIPydjfPD5KoeFnJhiM-1Ao81sl4r48FS8h5mnwHrJPbb9tvOMzrV5OPw/s1600-h/blind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDAHytauSGBuFAHysk49Qj0ZYWDmlMU5veqsItgy8eh3SYjJToXxJSKXGRoUsqbsZnBkbIOGqeCucI8rBIPydjfPD5KoeFnJhiM-1Ao81sl4r48FS8h5mnwHrJPbb9tvOMzrV5OPw/s200/blind.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Don't do this.<br />
</span></em><br />
</div>Exhibit B:<br />
I think this is fucking hilarious and I would totally use it. (I also have been trying to figure out a way to attach a swiffer to our cats' tails. What? I hate dusting.)<br />
<br />
<object height="302" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3263721&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=e3de4b&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3263721&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=e3de4b&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="302"></embed></object><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/3263721">Baby Mop</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/chrismilk">Chris Milk</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-14992373643744388502009-12-02T17:54:00.000-05:002009-12-02T17:54:35.579-05:00...picking out a new color for the bathroom.So, I figured that the bathroom, like my bedroom, would get an instantaneous "makeover" since it was one of the rooms I was not making any major changes to (at least not yet). It's compeltely liveable, laid out well, nothing's terribly annoying about it...except the painted wallpaper. And it wasn't like the previous owners were lazy and just painted over exisitng wallpaper, no they bought the type of wallpaper that you paint:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CAViRB5WvnAZcAYOgDLuZXiGtQ7UZLYe9w-GWNBPk07F00SH-JhjF3-fZRcLeEbrMz1GfAQdZSnArRpYKmh6KnJ-0WIArBduYjuzeOmeQI_non8kSmD3X1s5t9P9vD1Wb92p0Bop/s1600-h/IMG_1917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CAViRB5WvnAZcAYOgDLuZXiGtQ7UZLYe9w-GWNBPk07F00SH-JhjF3-fZRcLeEbrMz1GfAQdZSnArRpYKmh6KnJ-0WIArBduYjuzeOmeQI_non8kSmD3X1s5t9P9vD1Wb92p0Bop/s320/IMG_1917.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Close-up of textured wallpaper I have to look at everyday.</em></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So I've decided it must come down, regardless of how good a job they did putting it up. And it will be painted. But that's where I"m a bit stuck. I know the general color family I want to paint it:<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4N3BCANQmvXOEOihOHjFFZGGFhpBJyDw75SweU0D7lWUEHKC2PgyTmIslnD2bHwXnrcVj_tIh4p9ZqNah9TEU0kh1ACJSdnVWls56kd1hdcbdVCA2F56AeNR7GDhXoAAJJK1kOsFl/s1600-h/towels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4N3BCANQmvXOEOihOHjFFZGGFhpBJyDw75SweU0D7lWUEHKC2PgyTmIslnD2bHwXnrcVj_tIh4p9ZqNah9TEU0kh1ACJSdnVWls56kd1hdcbdVCA2F56AeNR7GDhXoAAJJK1kOsFl/s200/towels.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Towels that inspired the color palette.</span></em> <br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRm-P63B87nTJcssca0rLPRuEvrJknWOwDd0xdmjbtBMbi2NNi65dFKHYIlzwLHnewkknut1R7PSVgW1b3jOEB3zDCFYrGOY4knRc6X2gVo2pWzqYPWgdzSTzFF8bqV6EEAccVzcL7/s1600-h/IMG_1925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRm-P63B87nTJcssca0rLPRuEvrJknWOwDd0xdmjbtBMbi2NNi65dFKHYIlzwLHnewkknut1R7PSVgW1b3jOEB3zDCFYrGOY4knRc6X2gVo2pWzqYPWgdzSTzFF8bqV6EEAccVzcL7/s320/IMG_1925.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Paints that I have chosen. Yup...brown.</span></em> <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I don't know which shade to go with. The ones on the left & middle (I hate my shitty camera!!) are cooler shades of browns, the one on the right are warmer. I don't like the top three or four of the warmer tones, but maybe one of the the bottom two? I'm worried it will be too dark, this is the room in question:<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2_HTMjbNpr0gX9BPQ8B3lL4awUAWSnkN4oU1MFutbwW3E7B6o8T8_d6kpv9OCl3LDxndvSjOUt-cnMWq4X6UramBLIBPhHRVV07R13-mQiO27e7BluFvn7TXjgm-GRHAVU0rE6oo/s1600-h/IMG_1932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2_HTMjbNpr0gX9BPQ8B3lL4awUAWSnkN4oU1MFutbwW3E7B6o8T8_d6kpv9OCl3LDxndvSjOUt-cnMWq4X6UramBLIBPhHRVV07R13-mQiO27e7BluFvn7TXjgm-GRHAVU0rE6oo/s320/IMG_1932.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jDrBIMKOrihHnE-Jc7uVoU60AV4_ThZyicr9mXe0K6dj2eVfXQr4BuMW8UQL25fJt3wcmtg-2VvXKm3jtQZbkOqfmRhy7VhtEXSHJdyWezQw3auFCvC1fuPvtI2W8bCxuJSb2487/s1600-h/IMG_1928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jDrBIMKOrihHnE-Jc7uVoU60AV4_ThZyicr9mXe0K6dj2eVfXQr4BuMW8UQL25fJt3wcmtg-2VvXKm3jtQZbkOqfmRhy7VhtEXSHJdyWezQw3auFCvC1fuPvtI2W8bCxuJSb2487/s320/IMG_1928.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">The floors are light, the doors are white, the sink cabinet is white, the shower curtain is white, the cover for the World's Most Inappropriately Sized Radiator is white, too...so maybe a darker brown will be ok? The window should let in a lot more light once I take the damn aluminum awning off.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Thoughts?<br />
</div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-51390886147615757972009-12-01T23:56:00.000-05:002009-12-01T23:56:53.902-05:00...being a real South Philly resident.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So...after many years of being a "resident" of Philadelphia, I broke down and became an actual resident of Philadelphia. Complete with new car registration and everything. This is what greeted me when I got home tonight:<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKdas8-UhBMmUeB2MWtkyyihgcqfV9D162T5X3yfwxFyun3bUurog_ap8cmn99tCu5dvammmrK6ByKslRlhe6MegoNzTKqhZtAcJwVOM2X4xh7CVuDd0c3f1n8CWx_pSsqScAuuw6/s1600-h/IMG_1926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTKdas8-UhBMmUeB2MWtkyyihgcqfV9D162T5X3yfwxFyun3bUurog_ap8cmn99tCu5dvammmrK6ByKslRlhe6MegoNzTKqhZtAcJwVOM2X4xh7CVuDd0c3f1n8CWx_pSsqScAuuw6/s320/IMG_1926.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">This can only mean one thing... <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI1OTUt2IzViu0VUhdB9b9TMqoy20OOFed3RTJHbHUF2lp06e3bOvq4D-5UdJXLrYuY-3f322c-j-PS3v8lyKdxh4wHcxHdyLHd90LuEXVc4KCqWCHym0jq-95RU4QPY81DFOFqWv/s1600-h/IMG_1927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoI1OTUt2IzViu0VUhdB9b9TMqoy20OOFed3RTJHbHUF2lp06e3bOvq4D-5UdJXLrYuY-3f322c-j-PS3v8lyKdxh4wHcxHdyLHd90LuEXVc4KCqWCHym0jq-95RU4QPY81DFOFqWv/s320/IMG_1927.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">...unrestricted parking!!<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, if we can only do something about those old fuckers and their Bingo nights. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh...and a sign I'm definitely in South Philly...this is also what I came home to tonight:<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmE8hwMgx1VEb3zgB05Ua0UFCGpICvACJbOaYgqK4IBnOSVSJ89YV5FzX4jcemJknT4A3D4gjqruLPL-FvjZYFlH4-TzkXpB8EsaMORD7YLioUuBzV6tlcuhIsqxbSoaitXyxNIs0/s1600-h/1201092236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" er="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtmE8hwMgx1VEb3zgB05Ua0UFCGpICvACJbOaYgqK4IBnOSVSJ89YV5FzX4jcemJknT4A3D4gjqruLPL-FvjZYFlH4-TzkXpB8EsaMORD7YLioUuBzV6tlcuhIsqxbSoaitXyxNIs0/s320/1201092236.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That is my door on the left. I share that awful awning with my neighbors. And now, it would seem, we share some tasteful Christams lights. <br />
</div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-28206122438693343102009-11-24T18:42:00.000-05:002009-12-02T17:43:33.452-05:00...the first month.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been a month since I moved into the house. Actually, it's been a little over a month, but things have been so hella crazy that I haven't had time to finish this post. The first month has been interesting, to say the least. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was the <a href="http://theurbangirlon.blogspot.com/2009/11/delivery-fail.html">washing machine incident</a>, which is mostly fixed at this point. At least I can at wash my laundry, if I can't quite dry it mechanically. Then there is my <a href="http://theurbangirlon.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-hook-up-interwebs-ghetto-style.html">ghetto internet solution</a>. I will figure this out...maybe there will be a killer deal on a new router this Black Friday and I can join the land of WiFi once again. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had some friends over and we tried out a few <a href="http://theurbangirlon.blogspot.com/2009/11/not-being-hip-enough-for-my-new-hood.html">new bars</a>, though I've yet to really try the restaurant and take-out scene. But that will come soon enough, which brings me to my next point - renovations. Or rather, the lack thereof. My kitchen is still fully intact. <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really hoped to have made some progress on the demolition front, but I've been preoccupied with things like roof leaks and not having an electrical outlet in the bathroom. In light of any major updates...here is my first round of (very lame) Before & After pics. <br />
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</div>Master bedroom:<br />
I bascially just painted. I haven't gotten around to doing much decorating, but those curtains came down mighty fast. I did not kneel on the ground to get the exact same perspective as the shot from the real estate listing to get the full effect...but whatever. You get the idea..it's not cream anymore.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2608/3874660183_8ba53b560e_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Main Bedroom" border="0" height="216" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2608/3874660183_8ba53b560e_o.jpg" width="288" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0xEhd1W70kPhHfdsgc85LBTP7SM7D8HIREOPm_CPQlsg945-pWC0oarBI9aWWyEfcpOnC5z9cRKfKl0JFQ7wu-7g9Zao0RykHKgo9Ppd7nTEzDsSoyVccmaxMrwzztHJB4e7dFbS/s1600/IMG_1915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0xEhd1W70kPhHfdsgc85LBTP7SM7D8HIREOPm_CPQlsg945-pWC0oarBI9aWWyEfcpOnC5z9cRKfKl0JFQ7wu-7g9Zao0RykHKgo9Ppd7nTEzDsSoyVccmaxMrwzztHJB4e7dFbS/s320/IMG_1915.JPG" yr="true" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
The bathroom: <br />
Again, not much done here except removal of ugly shower curtain, rugs, and valance. You can't see it from this picture, but that is wallpaper that's been painted. Textured painted wallpaper. <br />
And I really wish you could see the old shower curtain, it has dolphins with little wave cutouts on it. Hopefully I will get rid of the World's Most Inappropriately Sized Radiator soon. But not before the wallpaper comes down and I paint.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<img alt="bathroom" height="236" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2425/3874659955_4db4be5bd2_o.jpg" width="288" /><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1exTveRTvluIoAIeTUqik4F1NmKINbGiPistV5qSu_7GXRnaZlUv2NiWAVAIxQG8VeAOJB1KLZCOZ-dDST4XaB_pvbcvTqLtAKGzWeLlJ7jfV2mwxDJ5Lumhyphenhyphen-44CEZx548uLZDX/s1600/IMG_1912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1exTveRTvluIoAIeTUqik4F1NmKINbGiPistV5qSu_7GXRnaZlUv2NiWAVAIxQG8VeAOJB1KLZCOZ-dDST4XaB_pvbcvTqLtAKGzWeLlJ7jfV2mwxDJ5Lumhyphenhyphen-44CEZx548uLZDX/s320/IMG_1912.JPG" yr="true" /></a> <br />
That's pretty much it. Every other room is lacking any kind of update of any kind. <br />
<br />
I'd like to say that my <a href="http://theurbangirlon.blogspot.com/2009/11/moving-and-small-talk.html">feelings toward the house and moving</a> have warmed up in the past few weeks...but they really haven't. I still have lukewarm feelings that verge on contempt, but I'm working through them. Mostly aided by glasses of Riesling and chocolate.<br />
<br />
<br />
EDIT: I removed the tables because apparently, the "preview" function in blogger sucks and I did not realize they were all on top of each other. :|urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-67735058180316929922009-11-20T15:18:00.000-05:002009-11-20T15:18:08.883-05:00...another foray into video for Natalie Portman.I am working on a recap of the first month in the new house. In the meantime, enjoy another entertaining <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8e6-IeQ0aw">Natalie Portman video</a>. This time she doesn't rap, she just acts with Devendra Banhart. The subtitles make this.<br />
<br />
<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/k_QAPjtO2cA&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/k_QAPjtO2cA&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-77163218110080534982009-11-16T17:22:00.000-05:002009-11-16T17:25:01.852-05:00...registering for my housewarming party.Yes. Yes I did. I registered.<span style="font-size: x-small;">*</span> I registered because I'm 30 and never married, and I just bought an entire house all on my own. I registered because, like Carrie Bradshaw said, at some point people stop celebrating your life events unless you get married or have a baby. What if you aren't engaged or preggo?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><em>"Hallmark doesn't make a 'congratulations, you didn't marry the wrong guy' card." - Carrie Bradshaw.</em> <em><span style="font-size: x-small;">But it should, it really should.</span></em><br />
</div><br />
"A Women's Right to Shoes" might be the best <em>Sex and the City</em> episode ever, if not one of the best TV episodes period. The premise is that Carrie has to leave her shoes at the door of a friend's house - a friend who made the choice to get married and pop a few out. Carrie gladly celebrates these choices - with support and gifts. But when her Manolos go missing - because the friend and her husband don't want dirt & germs tracked into their kid-infested home - the friend doesn't believe in replacing such costly shoes, or supporting Carrie's decision to spend $485 on Manolos instead of a <a href="http://www.strollers.com/Peg-Perego-IPSC28US34TL53KN46-PGR1396.html">Peg Perego</a>.<br />
<br />
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<br />
After much deliberation and some consternation, Carrie ends up registering for her wedding to...herself. On the registry? One pair of $485 Manolos. Who gets the "announcement" card? The aforementioned friend - who does replace the shoes and even sends along a note of congratulations.<br />
<br />
The whole episode got me thinking. <br />
Wedding registries were traditionally to help couples who were leaving their parents' houses for the first time to set up a new home of their own. They needed assistance in their new life together. They needed a damn blender. <br />
<br />
These days, so many couples live together before they get married. Or they combine two single households full of stuff - in which case, do you really need to register for a new espresso maker when you already have two? Not that people shouldn't register when they get married, by all means do! But why do I have to wait until then?<br />
<br />
I'm not getting married. Not yet anyway. (And what if I become the Old Cat Lady??) But I am setting up a new house. Granted, when I moved into my first post-collegiate apartment, I did buy things like a nice set of pots & pans...so I wouldn't register for those again just to get new ones. I AM registering for things like barware that doesn't come from Ikea, or a multi-bin hamper, since I now have space <em>and</em> my own washing machine. Most things on it are less than $40 and not tied to a specific store - friends and family can buy the items wherever they like. And no, I didn't ask for THREE new shower curtains.<br />
<br />
Some people might think it's greedy or ungrateful. Those people don't have to buy anything if they weren't planning on it. I'm perfectly fine with that. The registry is really just to give an idea of what I need/want to people who want to help me celebrate the new house and life event.<br />
<br />
But to those who disagree with my choice - I better get one hell of a wedding present when the time comes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">*at MyRegistry.com, in case you were wondering.</span>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-16378847410183044592009-11-15T00:02:00.000-05:002009-11-15T00:02:15.584-05:00...family ties.So I was talking to my mother the other week and, knowing that I was at the tail-end of a long-ass, complicated, and time consuming project, she asked how work was going. <br />
<br />
<strong>Me:</strong> I have the patience of a friggin' saint. <br />
<br />
<strong>Mom (turns to my Dad):</strong> She said she has the patience of a saint.<br />
<br />
<strong>Me:</strong> No, of a <em>friggin</em> saint.<br />
<br />
<strong>Mom:</strong> I can’t say that, I’m in The Diner. (Said diner is filled with super religious oldies yielding canes and judgement.)<br />
<br />
<strong>Me:</strong> Then say “the patience of a --- saint.”<br />
<br />
<strong>Mom (to Dad):</strong> She has the patience of a --- saint.<br />
<br />
<strong>Dad (in background):</strong> What church are <em>they</em> from?<br />
<br />
Thanks Dad. Thanks.urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-83349315116718946522009-11-11T17:41:00.000-05:002009-11-11T17:41:12.089-05:00...what my house aspires to look like.I love, love, LOVE these room designs. They're by <a href="http://www.gregnatale.com/">Greg Natale</a> and they're a fabulous mix of glam and modern. I love the dark woods and cool colors. The mix of glass and fabrics. The way they scream, "come live here and drink martinis!"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAn2IWQcFGvm8v5rnwJQFkWCTu_db13DEvDNnN3CL8d4mSwJ1DCl7WxCL_O-unFLnBIiu2CHaEb3IYk7f6wKh9tKdDXT89bUH0gjkfoim1RGb_wcomuCysv7QCosc3J1PrH6Ades8/s1600-h/GN1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAn2IWQcFGvm8v5rnwJQFkWCTu_db13DEvDNnN3CL8d4mSwJ1DCl7WxCL_O-unFLnBIiu2CHaEb3IYk7f6wKh9tKdDXT89bUH0gjkfoim1RGb_wcomuCysv7QCosc3J1PrH6Ades8/s320/GN1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">if only my living room was this sophisticated...</span></em><br />
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<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVTshVLfoxkX-1_UcVRE6zMYljfS5GmN1PNKpWhe4wuUGByVpyeCowUxUWc8sHTPFLLTpmCa7BHgwTblNzAInEXdV9Y_X29oLCkeJB1Xk7uViJcsSQorA7DB6Vzfyugh4DOO0uCQq/s1600-h/GN4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVTshVLfoxkX-1_UcVRE6zMYljfS5GmN1PNKpWhe4wuUGByVpyeCowUxUWc8sHTPFLLTpmCa7BHgwTblNzAInEXdV9Y_X29oLCkeJB1Xk7uViJcsSQorA7DB6Vzfyugh4DOO0uCQq/s320/GN4.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">one day I, too, will have matching crystal table lamps.</span></em><br />
</div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-33070978096816003162009-11-10T14:50:00.000-05:002009-11-10T14:51:05.446-05:00….moving. And small talk.I hate small talk. I think often times it’s thoughtless and insincere, done more out of social obligation than genuine interest. (And I suck at it.) People ask the perfunctory, “How are you? “ - but do they <em>really</em> want to know? If you started telling them about your shitty morning where you spilled your breakfast onto Dry Clean Only pants, or how the power went out so you overslept, you would most likely get “The Look.” The look where he or she politely nods and smiles at you, but his/her eyes are saying, “oh dear God, get me away from this person now, I was just being polite.”<br />
<br />
This is how I feel when people ask me, “how’s the house?” Most, if not all, do have a genuine interest knowing that I just bought my first house in a new neighborhood. But I guarantee they don’t want the verbal diarrhea that I spew forth as I tell them about the myriad problems I’ve encountered in the past month. <br />
<br />
Or worse, they probably don’t want to hear that I’m really not adjusting well to the move. How my routines are all off. How my stove’s cooking temps seem to be way higher than any other gas stove I’ve ever cooked on. How the nearest drop off mail box is now so far out of my way. How, despite only moving 1.5 miles south, I feel so far removed from EVERYTHING. Like I moved to a borough.<br />
<br />
They want to hear, “Oh, it’s great! I love it! Best decision ever!” But if I said that…I’d be lying.<br />
<br />
Now by no means do I hate the house/new ‘hood. I don’t even think I regret buying this house. I just REALLY miss the area I lived in for the past four years. It was fantastic. It’s like going away to college and really missing home. You know you’re in for good times; you just have a hard time getting past what you left behind. <br />
<br />
So, to anyone reading this who knows me – unless you <em>really</em> want to know how the house & new location are going…don’t ask. I suck at polite small talk.urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-77515551653175717002009-11-09T17:18:00.000-05:002009-11-09T17:20:28.089-05:00…not being hip enough for my new ‘hood.<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8s0EuEMKQJQWi8MWcQK04jORG68_mAq-b5cGUXQ7AKtDJwt2ia0zvb8BAhq_bRhNidfRamW9S4Oj55TLkGQDxWdw2zPtVzkX-mGHuuyf9RwLi_4cHtMLD-TKmGjkX8JN5sQwaX3MR/s1600-h/ash_me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" sr="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8s0EuEMKQJQWi8MWcQK04jORG68_mAq-b5cGUXQ7AKtDJwt2ia0zvb8BAhq_bRhNidfRamW9S4Oj55TLkGQDxWdw2zPtVzkX-mGHuuyf9RwLi_4cHtMLD-TKmGjkX8JN5sQwaX3MR/s200/ash_me.jpg" /></a>I am not a hipster. By ANY stretch of the imagination. I don’t even think I could pull it off for Halloween. I like <a href="http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/templates/EntrySC.jhtml;jsessionid=D0OB4MIRUBYJGCQAAKSRABQ?itemId=cat5130731&parentId=cat000199&masterId=cat000149&icid=home1">heels</a> and <a href="http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?searchCID=25789&pid=693947&scid=693947022&vid=-1">silk</a> and <a href="http://www.katespade.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3686291">handbags</a>. <em>----></em><br />
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</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In addition to attracting urban girls who can't afford Center City, my new neighborhood also attracts hipsters. That being said, two friends came down on Saturday so we could check out some bars/hangouts in the new ‘hood. The evening was pretty uneventful, which was fine considering I got home around 3am the night before.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
<strong>Bar #1 - Lucky 13:</strong><br />
I really liked this bar and will definitely be going back. It was small, but not overcrowded (even on a Saturday night), they had Magner’s cider, good music/jukebox selection, and a bunch of TVs (which were playing <em>Tremors</em> – always good for a laugh). We didn’t order anything, but the food that was being served looked tasty. <br />
<br />
It was marginally hipster, but I felt neither old, nor lame. Added bonus – it’s about two blocks from my house. <br />
<br />
<strong>Bar #2 - Stogie Joe’s:</strong><br />
Also about two blocks from my house, but not on my list of places to return. We didn’t even order drinks. As my friend K said, “it reminds me of a bar in Bensalem.” <br />
<br />
NEXT.<br />
<br />
<strong>Bar #3 - Pub on Passyunk East, a.k.a. POPE:</strong><br />
Hel<em>-lo</em> hipster mecca. I kinda knew this going in, but the sea of fixies out front sealed it. We walked in and BAM – into a wall of people. Correction – wall of <em>hipsters</em>. <br />
<br />
We found a corner to wedge ourselves in and ordered drinks - bonus for them having Magner’s. (We attempted to sit down, but were shooed away by the wait staff.) Of course, someone next to us was drinking a token PBR. We finished our drinks and headed out, past a guy in a TNF ski jacket with its hood up. <br />
<br />
I have mixed feelings about POPE. I think I’d go back and try the food (which I hear is good)…but I will probably not be going back on a Saturday night around midnight. I am just not cool enough and can't resist the urge to poke fun at the rampant skinny jeans wearing.<br />
<br />
All in all, an enjoyable evening getting the lay of my new land, which is slowly growing on me. Slowly.urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-83554923207962797692009-11-08T14:59:00.000-05:002009-11-08T14:59:28.097-05:00...why I love Fall.Even though it's about 65 degrees out right now, I'm going to talk about the reasons I love Fall. They can be summed up in three words - foliage, fashion, and food. <br />
<br />
<strong>Foliage:</strong><br />
Living in the Northeast, I am surrounded by hills of orange, red, and yellow.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXKcOrifEntZuMkBxlAxdIZWlayxJEj0AWsow5hb2Pls8nTujcNFu5qGRfvBBIH4o93w7qnjpYwKukxaPn9m0Mdcd3ivjWqPxLNuQuPl9FJTe6LA1k6woHO74nFKQSRiLfbk4JMIR/s1600-h/ValleyForge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXKcOrifEntZuMkBxlAxdIZWlayxJEj0AWsow5hb2Pls8nTujcNFu5qGRfvBBIH4o93w7qnjpYwKukxaPn9m0Mdcd3ivjWqPxLNuQuPl9FJTe6LA1k6woHO74nFKQSRiLfbk4JMIR/s320/ValleyForge.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Photo courtesy of </em><a href="http://visitpa.com/"><em>VisitPA.com</em></a></span><br />
</div><strong>Fashion:</strong><br />
It gives me an excuse to buy new winter clothes, like this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kennethcole.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3876244"><img align="center" alt="kenneth cole marilyn sweater" border="0" height="300" src="http://kcp.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pKCP-6858082v275.jpg" width="293" /></a><br />
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</div><strong><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1257369973071"></span><span id="goog_1257369973072"></span>Food</strong>:<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Aside from the Halloween candy, Fall is a time of apple cider, pumpkin pie, and Tastykake Spice Kake Krimpets. Mmm...<br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1uoXqkV1NtLSilOwnyTnT7XpBDll_q8hhcd4wsg2vVeK29ON_GuAVa4TVB5Cv3_5F9ASoaOefz6GVSowmoW4en6laUpZvf_0ZNfq0ro4WQiX0mMBrRt3QBFXAcljsXdi7vQwHvpn/s1600-h/krimpets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1uoXqkV1NtLSilOwnyTnT7XpBDll_q8hhcd4wsg2vVeK29ON_GuAVa4TVB5Cv3_5F9ASoaOefz6GVSowmoW4en6laUpZvf_0ZNfq0ro4WQiX0mMBrRt3QBFXAcljsXdi7vQwHvpn/s320/krimpets.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">So readers, what do you love about Fall? <br />
</div>urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-989645317927767353.post-11759659680015297372009-11-07T13:24:00.000-05:002009-11-07T13:24:08.890-05:00...new neighbors.Depending on how neighbor relations go, I could regret writing about this. That being said, I'm doing it anyway. <br />
<br />
The other day my Dad met my next door neighbor while out on the roof patching a leak (they were down to help with some stuff and mingle with the neighbors, who must think they live here). Apparently she's singl(like me), well-spoken (like me ;) ), and seemed nice (hmm...people would say I'm nice. right?). So she likes to spend time on her roof sans deck, outdoor space is at a premium in these parts. No biggie.<br />
<br />
Cut to about twenty minutes ago when I catch a reflection in my TV (which should really just be called "my 42 inch monitor") of someone outside my window. Being the crazy paranoid person I am, I turn around expecting to see a lurker...nope. It's my neighbor. In a tank top. In 50 degree weather. <br />
<br />
I have no idea what she's doing out there and then I just see a pair of legs from the knees down. And they were, uh, kinda masculine in their, um, hair coverage. Then they went away. And then I realized my hippie artsy neighbor is outside on her dirty roof doing yoga in a tank top and yoga shorts. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile I'm inside on the couch in a t-shirt, flannel pants, and slippers eating Halloween candy thinking to myself, "is the heat really on??"urban girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905188349970944240noreply@blogger.com0