9.06.2007
TRAMBLINGS...
I've been getting nasty emails (okay, not so bad, just forceful nudges to update this "damn" blog) from frustrated readers and I deserve it. It's been way too long since I posted but I tried to warn everyone that my schedule was going to change. It has but I also promised that at the very least I'd update once a week and not once a month. So, I deserve the raspberries sent my way. Anyway, here's what's going on...
I made the THE WORLD'S BEST SANDWICH a couple of weeks ago. Oh. My. God. The Crown Prince and I nearly ate our own fingers off. Delicious. (Sandwich not the fingers). I suggest you try it. Perfect for the summer heat. Los Angeles boiled last week. Boiled. It was so hot and uncomfortable that my mom and sister left a day early. They couldn't handle it. In the middle of all of that I had the guest room painted. I don't know how the painter survived but he did. He opened all the windows turned on some old school R&B and did his thing. Speaking of old school music, man I heard MICHEL'LE'S (yep, that's right we got video!) SOMETHING IN MY HEART and it took me back like a time machine. What happened to her anyway? And, since we're talking about video, you have to check out these ladies WALKING IT OUT. Brilliant. They kill me.
So, back to the room. I told you months ago that I was turning the second bedroom into a writing space. The paint job is the first real step in that direction. I chose a pale, dove gray and white trim for the windows, ceiling, etc. It reads bluer than I planned but it's pretty and soothing. The room looks so bright and open. Carpet goes down this weekend and then I'll move in there with my music, desk, chair and books. It'll be bare bones for awhile but that's alright with me. I just want a place where I can close the door, spread my papers around, leave books open and post-it notes on the window sill and come back to find it undisturbed. Kobe, of course, never bothered with that room but now that it's coming together he likes to sit in front of the window and watch the activity on the street. I told him not to get too comfortable. Yesterday, the Crown Prince was pacing around in there on his cell phone which means I'm going to have a talk with both my boys. Let's just stop this train before it derails.
Anyway, ya'll know by now that I hate full-sticker price so I've been combing CRAIGSLIST again. Yesterday, I called about a gorgeous Barcelona Style bench. The bench retailed at BLUEPRINT for $800.00 yet it was listed for $40.00. You know I was all over that. The woman answered the phone and told me that someone else had already called. I left my number went back to searching through the listings. An hour later the woman called back. The bench was mine if I wanted it. I got her address and before I hung up I said, "Wait, is this Bee?" She said, "Yes, is this Nikki?" (my online name) and when I said yes we both started to laugh.
I bought those chairs from her back in the spring. Can you believe that? When I got to her house we almost hugged each other. She showed me around her apartment and walked me through all the new furniture she'd bought to decorate the place. She had great colors on her walls and a dining room table that made me green with envy. Really nice woman. I told her to keep my number in case she decided to do anymore redecorating. Those chairs, by the way, look great in my dining room. I know folks were ambivalent (if not repulsed) at the sight of them but I didn't care. They're a little fashion-forward to say the least but they appealed to me. Frankly, they look like people, a couple waiting side by side for a train or something. Can you see it? Anyway, I know how people felt because at least ten people have walked into the house and said, "I saw those chairs on your blog and I thought they were crazy looking but I have to admit they're really f*c*ing cool." Or variations on that theme. One or two visitors have offered to buy them but I plan to keep them for awhile.
Anyway, my plan for the room includes an entire wall of bookshelves. The bench will go in front of them (ala Carrie's apartment on SEX AND THE CITY).
Courtesy of HBO
Check out the bench in front of the shelves. I always loved that idea. Grab a title off the shelf sit down while you flip through the pages. Stack up the ones that you might want to read next. Great idea. But because I am also a magazine fiend I think I'll use the bench as a magazine holder. I'll post pictures when I'm done.
In anticipation of my new space I've been putting together some writing music. Basically, there is no rhyme or reason to my compilations just Songs Chelle Wants To Hear. And you know any list like that is bound to include a couple of stellar selections from KC & The Sunshine Band. In high school, one of the rocker chicks I'd grown up with wore a T-shirt that said: DISCO STILL SUCKS. It always made me laugh but disco gets me going. A little KC and the world feels right. I play three or four songs to get my blood going and then I wrap it up with Alicia's Bridges, "I Like The Nightlife." After that it's a cup of tea or some cocoa, email, mail, phone calls, To Do list and then whatever CD will get me through my next bout of writing. Here's what's on the current playlist. Don't expect miracles, common sense, magic potions or even a list of classic, high-falutin' songs. This is just what works for me.
Michelle, Lynyrd Skynyrd
They Reminisce Over You, C.L. Smooth and Pete Rock
Take The Money and Run, Steve Miller Band
Tell Her She's Lovely, El Chicano
Don't Fear The Reaper, Blue Oyster Cult
Ownlee Eue, Kwame
Statesboro Blues, Allman Bros
Crazy on You, Heart
One of These Mornings, Moby
Magic Man, Heart
The Choice is Yours, Black Sheep
Otherside, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Jet Airliner, Steve Miller Band
Tell Him, Lauryn Hill
Ain't No Love in The Heart of the City, Bobby Blue Band
Back to Black, Amy Winehouse
Road Trippin', Red Hot Chili Peppers
It's My Life, No Doubt
Wanna Know, Obie Trice
Werewolves of London, Warren Zevon
See there? I told you. Lastly, THIS WOMAN created one of my all-time favorite books. Rest in peace. A WRINKLE IN TIME is a classic in my house.
Until next time...
I've been getting nasty emails (okay, not so bad, just forceful nudges to update this "damn" blog) from frustrated readers and I deserve it. It's been way too long since I posted but I tried to warn everyone that my schedule was going to change. It has but I also promised that at the very least I'd update once a week and not once a month. So, I deserve the raspberries sent my way. Anyway, here's what's going on...
I made the THE WORLD'S BEST SANDWICH a couple of weeks ago. Oh. My. God. The Crown Prince and I nearly ate our own fingers off. Delicious. (Sandwich not the fingers). I suggest you try it. Perfect for the summer heat. Los Angeles boiled last week. Boiled. It was so hot and uncomfortable that my mom and sister left a day early. They couldn't handle it. In the middle of all of that I had the guest room painted. I don't know how the painter survived but he did. He opened all the windows turned on some old school R&B and did his thing. Speaking of old school music, man I heard MICHEL'LE'S (yep, that's right we got video!) SOMETHING IN MY HEART and it took me back like a time machine. What happened to her anyway? And, since we're talking about video, you have to check out these ladies WALKING IT OUT. Brilliant. They kill me.
So, back to the room. I told you months ago that I was turning the second bedroom into a writing space. The paint job is the first real step in that direction. I chose a pale, dove gray and white trim for the windows, ceiling, etc. It reads bluer than I planned but it's pretty and soothing. The room looks so bright and open. Carpet goes down this weekend and then I'll move in there with my music, desk, chair and books. It'll be bare bones for awhile but that's alright with me. I just want a place where I can close the door, spread my papers around, leave books open and post-it notes on the window sill and come back to find it undisturbed. Kobe, of course, never bothered with that room but now that it's coming together he likes to sit in front of the window and watch the activity on the street. I told him not to get too comfortable. Yesterday, the Crown Prince was pacing around in there on his cell phone which means I'm going to have a talk with both my boys. Let's just stop this train before it derails.
Anyway, ya'll know by now that I hate full-sticker price so I've been combing CRAIGSLIST again. Yesterday, I called about a gorgeous Barcelona Style bench. The bench retailed at BLUEPRINT for $800.00 yet it was listed for $40.00. You know I was all over that. The woman answered the phone and told me that someone else had already called. I left my number went back to searching through the listings. An hour later the woman called back. The bench was mine if I wanted it. I got her address and before I hung up I said, "Wait, is this Bee?" She said, "Yes, is this Nikki?" (my online name) and when I said yes we both started to laugh.
I bought those chairs from her back in the spring. Can you believe that? When I got to her house we almost hugged each other. She showed me around her apartment and walked me through all the new furniture she'd bought to decorate the place. She had great colors on her walls and a dining room table that made me green with envy. Really nice woman. I told her to keep my number in case she decided to do anymore redecorating. Those chairs, by the way, look great in my dining room. I know folks were ambivalent (if not repulsed) at the sight of them but I didn't care. They're a little fashion-forward to say the least but they appealed to me. Frankly, they look like people, a couple waiting side by side for a train or something. Can you see it? Anyway, I know how people felt because at least ten people have walked into the house and said, "I saw those chairs on your blog and I thought they were crazy looking but I have to admit they're really f*c*ing cool." Or variations on that theme. One or two visitors have offered to buy them but I plan to keep them for awhile.
Anyway, my plan for the room includes an entire wall of bookshelves. The bench will go in front of them (ala Carrie's apartment on SEX AND THE CITY).
Courtesy of HBO
Check out the bench in front of the shelves. I always loved that idea. Grab a title off the shelf sit down while you flip through the pages. Stack up the ones that you might want to read next. Great idea. But because I am also a magazine fiend I think I'll use the bench as a magazine holder. I'll post pictures when I'm done.
In anticipation of my new space I've been putting together some writing music. Basically, there is no rhyme or reason to my compilations just Songs Chelle Wants To Hear. And you know any list like that is bound to include a couple of stellar selections from KC & The Sunshine Band. In high school, one of the rocker chicks I'd grown up with wore a T-shirt that said: DISCO STILL SUCKS. It always made me laugh but disco gets me going. A little KC and the world feels right. I play three or four songs to get my blood going and then I wrap it up with Alicia's Bridges, "I Like The Nightlife." After that it's a cup of tea or some cocoa, email, mail, phone calls, To Do list and then whatever CD will get me through my next bout of writing. Here's what's on the current playlist. Don't expect miracles, common sense, magic potions or even a list of classic, high-falutin' songs. This is just what works for me.
Michelle, Lynyrd Skynyrd
They Reminisce Over You, C.L. Smooth and Pete Rock
Take The Money and Run, Steve Miller Band
Tell Her She's Lovely, El Chicano
Don't Fear The Reaper, Blue Oyster Cult
Ownlee Eue, Kwame
Statesboro Blues, Allman Bros
Crazy on You, Heart
One of These Mornings, Moby
Magic Man, Heart
The Choice is Yours, Black Sheep
Otherside, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Jet Airliner, Steve Miller Band
Tell Him, Lauryn Hill
Ain't No Love in The Heart of the City, Bobby Blue Band
Back to Black, Amy Winehouse
Road Trippin', Red Hot Chili Peppers
It's My Life, No Doubt
Wanna Know, Obie Trice
Werewolves of London, Warren Zevon
See there? I told you. Lastly, THIS WOMAN created one of my all-time favorite books. Rest in peace. A WRINKLE IN TIME is a classic in my house.
Until next time...
Labels: Craigslist, Music, Writing Space
