It's only one week away from my next great adventure! I can hardly believe how time's flying and how our plans are quickly falling into place. Thanks to everybody for all the Paris recommendations and yes we're going to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. On Halloween morning we board the Eurostar from Paris to London for part two. This will take us across, and under, the English Channel in about two hours and twenty minutes. I did a quick mental review and discovered that this will actually be my 8th visit to the UK, almost a homecoming! I've always felt a strong connection to our "Mother Country". So, in this post, I thought I'd share with you the things (just a few) that make Merry Old England so great to me.
Where Steve Lived
I ‘m struck today, like most of the world, by the wisdom and inspiration that was Steve Jobs. I admit I really never paid too much attention to his contributions until today even though I write this post on my Macbook! One thing I heard this morning on the Today Show sticks with me. Steve’s philosophy was to live at the intersection of technology and art. Wow! What an awesome thought! Where is that more true than in the realm of kitchen design? Today’s kitchens are all about technology in appliances, finishes and function. The artfulness is in the planning and design and general aesthetic created when all parts come together. I think today whatever you do if you can figure out how to reside in this relevant cross section you will do well and you will be a part of the legacy of this great creative. Well done, Steve, and rest in peace.
Paris, London, Why Not?
It’s official! I’m going to Paris and London. Whoo- hoo. After months of saving our pennies hubs and I took the plunge and purchased our plane tickets. Wheels up on Oct 26th and as a lucky Kitchens for Living Reader, guess what? You get to come along! Until then you can look forward to a liberal dose of mentions and blog posts on these two amazing locations. If you reside in England or France or if you’ve visited I want to hear from you while I’m still in the planning stages. What’s too good to miss? I want to know because I don’t want to miss anything.
Our first stop, Paris, will be a first for us both. A big thanks to my pal Karen for turning us on to
Airbnb, a global network of accommodations offered by locals. It's more fun and usually cheaper than hotels, especially in big cities. I also love the idea of having a little kitchenette and from what I understand many guests meet their hosts which makes for a much more authentic experience outside the touristy realm. I was excited to find this cute place right in the trendy neighborhood of Montmarte. The site posts lots of pix and I can email Marthe, the owner ahead of time with all my annoying questions.
On Halloween we depart on the Eurostar train to London. I am a huge Anglophile and this will be my eighth visit, first for Joe. Look for London line up soon but right now I'm reading Rick Steve's Paris 2011 cover to cover. Here are the priorities so far:1) Le Eiffel Tower2) Le Louvre (Mainly to see Ms. Mona Lisa)3) Le Catacombs (Because it's novel and quirky)
4) Le Notre Dame5) Le Buddha Bar (I am the original "chill" music fan so of course)6) Le Pompidou Center (Contemporary art!)7) Le Rodin MuseumDo you think we can do this in four days with a few walking tours (Montmarte, Rue Cler) thrown in?In case you don't know how cool Montmarte is, here is what Wiki says about it: "Many artists had studios or worked around the community of Montmartre such as Salvador Dalí, Amedeo Modigliani, Claude Monet, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh."I can't end this without a little French design. Just saw this tres chic post on Design Sponge about a cute couple with an apartment in Paris.
Au revoir for now! Looking forward to all you great tips and Parisian tidbits.
NAUTICAL ZEN KITCHEN
Ta daaaaa! Another beautiful kitchen is complete, and yes it’s white with Shaker doors. Surprise! Not. There were two main challenges about working in this home. First of all the architecture is very unique and is an integral part of the space. It’s comprised of posts and beams, angles and open lofts which remind me of a ship. The second challenge was a lack of unity with way too much going on visually. The existing kitchen had three different types of counter tops, two different types of cabinets and more stuff than space. In addition, hinges and drawer slides were failing and paint was chipping.The homeowners came equipped with the most valuable of traits, an open mind. They were willing to see their kitchen and laundry area in a new way. Every step of the design process we would ask ourselves “does this unify and simplify”? Think “nautical zen”!First off I decided to make peace with the posts and beams. The layout remained the same and we didn’t even change the door style or color! What we did was improve the fit and function. Using all white counters unified the space and allowed the blue granite back splash to be the star of the show. Here are some “before” pix and “after” solutions which will pave the way for smooth sailing in this new kitchen.
KITCHEN PRICE IS RIGHT, NOT
I can’t begin to write this post without referencing the inspiration for it, Corey over at Design Kula and Kelly over at Kelly’s Kitchen Sync. Check out what they had to say after you read my post.Today’s semi-rant is all about the REAL price of a new kitchen. Corey states that so many clients are unprepared and have not done their homework. While I agree that is certainly true for some, I find many consumers have informed themselves about products and design, to a certain extent. The total disconnect, to me, is the PRICE! I don’t hate HGTV. I watch it and I find the shows to be fun and inspiring. The problem is that the “budgets” are so far off, it does a disservice to us all. When a client is faced with real pricing, including all the details they don’t have time to mention on a 30 minute program, we are the bad guys.Secondly, when you decide to venture into the world of kitchen remodeling remember what I always say, the best projects are the result of great collaborations. That means if you have a budget in your head, by all means, SHARE it! I often find that clients, for some reason, feel this is a closely guarded secret that shall not be divulged. We can’t assist you if you withhold information. These days I expect to hear almost any amount. Once I know it I can suggest what you CAN do and save time for both of us. Oh and if you honestly don’t have a clue what anything costs, then go back to step one and do your homework.
Lucy's Kitchen
I love Lucille Ball! I wonder how many half hours I spent as a kid watching Lucy and Ricky over and over again.Tomorrow marks what would have been the 100th birthday of legendary Lucille Ball. “I Love Lucy: An American Legend” opened August 4 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1950’s comedy at the Library of Congress. The Washington post came out today with a great article about the exhibit which runs through January 28, 2012. Also to mark the star’s 100th birthday, August 6th, Life.com is releasing some never before seen photos showing the sultry side of Lucy.
Back in the 50s Lucy spent a lot of time in the kitchen so naturally I decided to take a look at this important part of the set and site of so many (red) harebrained schemes.Looks like Lucy’s kitchen may have seen a remodel or two over the years. I could not find any information about that but the photos show a change in door style as well as layout! Lucy Gets a New Kitchen would have been a great episode!
Remember Seinfeld’s new kitchen adventure? Hilarious and truer than we may want to admit. Jerry gets a new kitchen!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEZvWVlUY3E