Downsizing In San Francisco

The Big Easy Was Easy And Fun!

2012-02-07T11:34:00.002-08:00

I just got back from 5 days in New Orleans, my first ever visit there. I had a lot of fun but still left things to do if I can get back there again. Above is a corner in the French Quarter. I loved the pink flowers. However, pink was not really the color of the hour. Around this time, pre-Mardi Gras, the only colors that count are purple, green and gold (or yellow gold).

Above is just one of many homes decorated for Mardi Gras. The variety of decorations is infinite. I stayed near Audubon Park, Uptown. There were many beautiful homes in the neighborhood. I will post more photos soon.

We got to watch the Mardi Gras Parade which heads up the Mardi Gras season. The Parade is called the Krewe du Vieux. I was wearing sneakers. The woman standing next to me in the street at the corner was wearing these beauties. And it wasn't a costume, just what one wears with jeans in New Orleans.

Some New Projects

2012-01-22T18:01:00.000-08:00

Just what I need.

I have wanted to get matching upholstered headboards for my guest room where I have two twin beds. I would occasionally check craigslist for something to re-use but finding two identical ones with upholstery wasn't that easy. Plus I did not need mattresses or frames or stuff like that.

So about two weeks ago I happened to see what looked like I wanted, although the photo was not great. (See above.) The headboards were so inexpensive I wondered if they were substantial enough. I know there are some inexpensive ones made from heavy cardboard out there.

But I took a chance and drove out to the mysterious East Bay to a warehouse where they were being stored. They were much nicer than I expected. They were very well made and the color was not bad. Unfortunately they are covered with a vinyl, which I do not like (but it is a high quality vinyl). Also, I'm not crazy about the gathers around the edges, though I know why they did that.

So I will either be re-upholstering myself, making slipcovers for the headboards, or maybe I will hire someone to do it for me, as I only paid $20 total for the headboards. But in the meantime, here's how one looks.

Since I have some neutral fabrics around I will probably make slipcovers to put over the headboards and see how that works, for starters.

PINTEREST - IT'S THE RAGE!

2012-01-20T20:20:00.000-08:00

Follow me on Pinterest.

It is fun to pin images I see on the net and save them in one place.

Dessert!

2011-12-27T12:50:00.000-08:00

The brisket dinner was topped off by a wonderful apple cake/tart in a spring form pan that my brother made. I think we can credit our mother for all our cooking talent. She taught us well.

I have got to get this recipe. It was absolutely delicious!

Recipe

2011-12-27T12:16:00.000-08:00

The brisket recipe comes from the New Basics Cookbook by Lukins and Rosso.

It's credited to Nach Waxman and can also be found at

http://recipes.online.recipeland.com/Nach-Waxmans-Brisket-of-Beef-47852

Enjoy and Happy Holidays for everyone!

Holiday Brisket

2011-12-26T18:35:00.001-08:00

Photo by Max

Lego My Yoda

2011-11-18T14:58:00.001-08:00

In the midst of the Union Square Holiday Ice Rink and the Union Square construction in preparation for the Central Subway (a boondoggle if there ever was one),
volunteers are constructing,
with the help of Lego employees, a 12 feet tall Yoda statue, similar to this model already in place.
Here are two views of the base on the statue, the red feet of Yoda.

Soon the Yoda will soar to the height of this ladder already in place to help with the final touches to Yoda's head. The diameter of Yoda's head is projected to be ten feet wide.

Notice the holiday tree in the background? Macy's is no longer using a real tree, opting instead for one which is assembled in sections, lights already in place. I guess it is more ecological that way and we saved a large fir in a forest somewhere.

Here's the link to the website which will eventually show a time lapse sequence of Yoda building.
http://www.legosantayoda.com/

All you Lego Fans, including those in my very own family, enjoy!

Laundry Room Nears Completion

2011-10-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

This post shows the new cabinets in the Laundry Room. I still need some hardware for the doors but I am so pleased with the results so far. I had my handyman assemble and install some Ikea Cabinets. Above are two 30" units with three shelves each.

Below I have about 75 inches of white laminate countertop, which I used for folding last night, whoopee! Under the counter are three units, with lots of drawers. I am using the big drawers as a laundry sorter, warm and cold items ready for washing, but out of sight!

That section on the right below is a pull out with three levels to hold soap bottles, etc., and I am using the top drawer there for some hand tools that I use in the back garden. The door is just beyond the countertop.
(Note the laundry shoot to the right of the outlet. Love that feature of my house.)

Here is a photo taken from the back door, looking into the laundry room. I need to paint the walls and doors. The room has no wall board, just some wood planks. Someone years ago gave it a white wash look. Wanted to see it all before I settled on a wall 'treatment.'

Over the new sink I added a small Ikea Cabinet with a frosted glass door. It replaces the messy shelf there previously.
(See http://downsizinginsf.blogspot.com/2011/08/laundry-room-moving-along.html)

It's the perfect cabinet for this spot. It's sold for bathrooms, as it is rather shallow, but it holds a bunch of stuff and I have filled it up since this photo was taken.

I put off selecting hardware but I will get to that very soon.

It started off with dirty walls, slanted floor, funky windows. It has come a long way.

Yosemite Beckoned

2011-09-03T08:59:00.001-07:00

Looking back on Upper Gayor Lake, with Gaylor Peak (reddish peak)
in the background and the snow field facing north,
still very much there.

. . . . and I went.

I had a great opportunity to visit Yosemite High Country last week. I stayed at Tuolumne Meadows Lodge with a friend. We were there for three nights. On our first complete day we took a ranger led hike to the Gaylor Lakes and the Granite Lakes. The trail head started near the Tioga Pass Entrance station. After climbing over a ridge about 900 feet above the road, we came upon a meadow and wide panorama of Yosemite mountain tops. The winter was so late this year that it was still spring in the high country and the wildflowers were abundant.
We watched a golden eagle soar over Granite Lake. That's one of the Granite Lakes above.
The Ranger button wildflowers, above, were one of many that were growing in the open meadows around the lakes.
We saw a scary sight as we started to leave the lakes' basin. First we saw a helicopter and the ranger said that was never a good sign. We followed it across the sky and saw the first smoke plumes from what they eventually called the "Motor" Fire. The smoke was tinged red with embers from the initial explosion of a motor home and its propane tank. They had to close 140 into the park but it has been finally contained.
The second day we took a hike to another great lake, south of the road. This is a clump of reeds in Elizabeth Lake. It was a good hike and a nice breeze was blowing, which kept the bugs away.
This is more of Elizabeth Lake, looking north. It was beautiful. Some boys fishing nearby caught a brook trout, very easily. Originally, none of the Sierra Lakes had any fish so the Dept. of Interior is now letting people fish them all out, to empty the lakes of fish. The fish there now are descendants of fish that they stocked many years ago. The addition of the fish caused a shortage of frogs, because the fish eat the tadpoles. Back to nature as it was, more or less. Here's to more frogs!
We were fascinated by this grassy plant. It had an unusual, delicate bloom. We think it is a carex variety or something similar.
The trail went through a thick forest. As we finished our hike rain clouds started to gather in the sky. They threatened but there was no precipitation.

It was a lovely interlude. I never say no to a chance to visit Yosemite and I never regret it.

Laundry Room Moving Along

2011-08-07T18:55:00.001-07:00

The reconfigured laundry room is coming along. My plumber changed the gas line to the dryer so we could move the dryer to the outside wall. He also removed the old cement sinks and the leaky faucet. Then he adjusted the drain to fit the new washing machine location. My handyman made a platform for the washer/dryer so they would sit level in the room which has a slanted floor with a drain in the middle. Now they sit on the platform, as seen above, along the outside wall with the dryer vented to the outside.
Here is a view of the laundry room from the door to the outside. There is the new sink and faucet. The sink is so beautiful compared to the old, dirty one.
The new configuration leaves an empty area along one wall where I plan to install some Ikea cabinets and a nice laminate top, maybe even some upper hanging wall cabinets. I have 75 inches to use here.
This photo shows the view into the room from the door from the back of the garage. The new cabinets will go along the left wall, from the door to where the little white table sits in this photo.

Then, when it's all done I think I will paint it pink! Good idea, Ann!

Laundry Day

2011-06-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a pretty laundry room. Instead, I have a pretty messy laundry room. But I am working on it.

I have a lot of potential down there. It's in a corner facing southwest with two large windows and a door with a top window. The light is great in the daytime and I have a nice fluorescent for the evenings.

The photo above shows my latest acquisition, an Ikea hanging laundry rack with pulleys. I bought it in March, finally put it together last week and I hung it up on Saturday. I am quite proud of myself.

When the rack is empty I pull up the rope and it hangs close to the ceiling (which is quite high) and near the light fixture.

Then, when I want to hang up some wet laundry I can lower the rope and it is easy to drape or pin the items on the rack.

The photos above and below show the rack in the drying position, not entirely up but high enough to make walking under it easy.
This last photo below shows the rack pulled up and out of the way. It is so much more convenient than storing numerous folding racks and opening and closing them when needed.
Unfortunately it is only so large and I could use more line for hanging. I am looking at the Ikea Grundtal folding rack which I can attach to the wall behind the door.

Further improvements are coming: New utility sink and faucet in the works.

I may also replace the dirty wooden shelves with new plastic coated wire shelves. I have installed them before and it is easy to do.

A fresh coat of paint might be helpful, too.

Roses lookin' good

2011-05-24T11:41:00.001-07:00

My "Easy Does It" rose bush is off to a good start this year. I picked a small bouquet this morning and don't they good great?
But at this time of year all new roses look great.

Below is a photo taken looking top down.
Only in nature could one get such a great color blend of orange and pink.

I WON!

2011-05-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

I was just informed by email from Jordan at Oh Happy Day that I won a beautiful souvenir of the Royal Wedding. Here is what I won, by entering a comment on her blog.

Royal Wedding Giveaway.

It's a lovely map of the procession route but also a great souvenir of London, one of my favorite cities. This hand drawn letterpress and giclee print of the Royal Wedding processional map will soon be mine. I love the colors in the print. Maybe it will go with my new pink bathroom.

The internet is so much fun!

I wonder if I can find a nice teacup to commemorate the wedding?

Shutters!

2011-04-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

This post was inspired by Brooke at Velvet and Linen. She and her husband are designing a new second home and she did a post on indoor shutters which they are considering for the new place. She asked about others who use shutters and I decided to post mine, although hers look very rustic, while mine are more formal.

Here is a photo of my home. It is a city house but it is on a slightly wider lot which allows for windows on all four sides.

The most beautiful windows are the ones in the front, with the diamond shaped glass panes with leading. Arches are the theme of my house. I do not know the 'style' of architecture.

The tall window and the smaller one to the left are in my living room. They present a problem as many coverings would cover up the lovely arch.

The previous owners (my parents!) installed the custom shutters in the two front windows, but they stained them walnut. They looked fine but I wanted a lighter look and had them painted white to match the woodwork.
Here is the little window with the shades open and below are both windows with the shades closed.
I like to close them at night but I love to open them in the morning to catch the warmth of the rising sun, as they face East. I think the shutters emphasize the shape of the windows and reinforce that arch which is found in many architectural elements of my home.

I love my shutters!

Gumps Good Taste at My House

2011-03-30T19:16:00.001-07:00

My remodeling is finally completed and I was able to celebrate my birthday with a Ladies Tea party. Here are some preliminary photos, showing the tables and the teacups with red flowers, ala Gumps. Above is my dining room. I placed three of my regular tea cups in the center of the table with red baby carnations and red ranunculus.
And here is my coffee table, outfitted for more guests, waiting for the tea sandwiches and scones.
See the previous post for the Gumps look I was trying to reproduce.

There will be more photos soon and also some of the new kitchen. It all turned out beautifully and I am very pleased. I am also pleased the process is all over.

More of Gumps' Good Taste

2011-02-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

At Gumps last week they had their annual evening open house for prospective brides to shop and register, etc. The result is some lovely table settings to ogle the next day with fresh flower arrangements still on display.
I am always looking for table setting ideas. This one, above, was my favorite. I loved the red ranunculus clustered in tight individual nosegays placed inside of a place cup, one for each diner.

Each place setting was atop a beautiful beaded placemat which was seed beads embellished with larger beads and other items. Below is the photo of the entire table.

Notice there is no centerpiece at all, just the individual arrangements.

The table shown above is more casual. The place cup and saucer are to the side of the plate and each one contains a tiny bouquet of white roses with a large variegated leaf, likely a begonia leaf, underneath. The setting seemed to be for a breakfast or brunch as there were sweet rolls featured on the bread plates.
More begonia leaves here for this lovely table which would work for a shower or other formal luncheon. Notice the all white cake behind the centerpiece. The green hydrangea centerpiece is raised by putting the bowl on top of a crystal pedestal cake dish.

Here is a view of more of that same table:
This last table was beautiful. I love sweet peas. And they were real, casually arranged in that lovely footed bowl. The flowers matched almost exactly the pastel stripes on the cups and saucers.
I only wish my photograph had been better, sorry for the blurring.

My construction work is almost over and I so look forward to setting my table again. Just in time for spring flowers!

The Fruit is Starting to Ripen

2011-01-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

My remodeling project is start to bear fruit. Cabinets, tile, what fun!

I was so excited today that when I woke up early I could not get back to sleep, thinking about what might be done by the end of the day.
Above is a shot of the upper kitchen cabinets, looking towards the sink. The middle section that is higher than the rest is where the range hood goes, over the stove.
This is the opposite wall under the skylight. The tall box to the right is for the refrigerator and the narrow cabinet to the left of it is a pantry.
These two photos show the shower and the niche for soap, shampoo, etc. The blank space between the rows of white tile is for marble mosaic accent strip. The tile looks terrific, very bright and yet, because it is hand finished, interesting to look at.

Let there be incandescent light!

2011-01-23T20:28:00.000-08:00

My guest room has a nice ceiling fixture, probably original to the room, circa 1940 or so. Unfortunately the only light bulb which will fit in the narrow chamber is what they call an A21 silhouette. A 150 watt bulb is made in this style. So just my luck, the bulb goes out the other day. Since January of this year incandescent bulbs that size can no longer be sold in California.
Now no one cares more about energy savings than I do. A fluorescent compact bulb will not fit into this fixture. So what was I to do?
My answer to everything these days is ebay. And sure enough, there are many 150 watt bulbs for sale, at reasonable prices and reasonable shipping fees. So I bought four bulbs and, for the time being, there is light!

Do you hear what I hear? Do you see what I see?

2010-12-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

I met a friend for dinner at the Thai Cafe and then we headed over to Roosevelt Middle School for a nice Winter Concert by the string orchestras, grades 6, 7, and 8. I was very impressed with the musicality of the offerings. They have a great teacher/conductor/director there and the kids played well. We all joined in singing some Christmas songs at the end.
I am in the midst of a remodeling project, hence the reason I have not had many posts recently. Since September there has been much activity at my house, most of it which will never been seen by anyone else, as it is now all behind walls or under the sidewalk. But finally the tile setter has started his job. Above is a sample layout of the tile in my master bathroom.
My powder room has a new floor which is seen above. This is a shot just after it was set. It looks like slate but it is a porcelain tile that resembles slate. The grout will be dark.
The tile has a lot of 'movement' to it, which makes it look like a natural product. I am very pleased with it. After making so many decisions, it is good to see some real results. Beside my two bathrooms, called small and smaller, I am also remodeling my kitchen. It's still a shell but the cabinets are 'in production.' Can't wait!

New Zealand Redux

2010-12-01T20:22:00.000-08:00

The Botanic Garden in Dunedin is one of the best I have ever seen. It is the oldest in NZ and the plantings are beautiful. It is late spring there now and the Rhododendron were gorgeous. Above is a close-up of a very mature bush with pink flowers with touches of yellow.
My trip was primarily to visit my sons and niece but we all did take one day for sightseeing. We drove down to the Catlins which is the Southeast corner of the South Island. There are beautiful beaches, cliffs, sea lions, and even waterfalls as shown above. We hiked a short distance to see McLean Falls.
I love seeing California poppies in other venues. While on a walk in Wellington I came across this lovely scene, a little bit of California far far away from home. Wellington is full of little Victorian style cottages.
On the day I left New Zealand I had time to hike with my son to the top of Mt. Victoria in Wellington (not such a big deal). The view at the top is panoramic and here is Wellington Harbor and downtown. That interesting looking building on the waterfront, tan color on the left, is Te Papa, the New Zealand National Museum. It's free and it's terrific.

Yes Virginia, there is a Chanukah Bush . . .

2010-10-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

.... and it's at Gumps on Post Street in San Francisco!

As has become the custom, the retail stores have started selling Christmas merchandise earlier and earlier every year. Gumps put up its dazzling display of hand blown and decorated glass ornaments by the end of September.

This year, perhaps in response to a clamor from Jewish customers or perhaps to increase its potential market, Gumps is selling ornaments with a Chanukah theme, a Chanukiah (8 branch menorah) and a dreidl.

I took these photos at the beginning of the week, the ornaments on a silver artificial table-top tree.

When I walked by later that week, I saw they had removed the "Chanukah Bush" (was someone offended, perhaps?) and replaced it with two 'trees,' one for each kind of ornament. The 'trees' are branches spray painted gold and silver.

I have to wonder what that is all about.
When I first moved to San Francisco the motto of Gumps was, "Gumps, where good taste costs no more."

Demo-Time

2010-09-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

For anyone still reading my blog, it has been awhile since my last post. You may be wondering what is going on around the Downsized Home. Take a look!

About a week ago I walked up the street after work and saw this: a gigantic dumpster.

They have been demolishing for over a week now and you should see all the debris inside.

This next photo is taken in the master bathroom, looking into the powder room. The yellow and black tile are gone, as is the whole wall.
Below is a shot of where the medicine cabinet used to be in the master bath.
On to the kitchen: Here is where the sink was, under the window, and where the wall of cabinets once stood.
I am remodeling these three rooms and it has taken an incredible amount of time to arrange for the plans, contractor, etc. And so many decisions to make! Three sinks to find, three faucets, tile and counters for all three rooms, Yikes!

While the workers are at my place I am house sitting for friends when I can. I do have a bedroom and bath upstairs but it is easier for everyone when I am not around.

Pretty Glass Vase

2010-09-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

This pretty vase is what I bought at the Candlestick Flea Market a few weeks back. It was $10, more than a thrifty treasure, IMO, but I noticed it immediately. It's green, and I love how it changes to yellow at the top. And the shape is lovely.

The Candlestick market is still new, only the second time open his month, but there were some nice things there, a lot of the Alameda participants. But there were not a lot of shoppers. The weather was lousy, no surprise, but it needs more buyers if the market expects to be successful.

Check out Rhoda's Treasures this Monday.

Made in Japan

2010-08-08T20:53:00.000-07:00

I found this interesting little box a few weeks back at a Garage Sale. It appears to be a jewelry box but the shape is so unusual. Why is the right side higher than the left? The only information I have about the box is that it is made of wood and says "Made in Japan" on the bottom, which is painted black.
The top that lifts up has a mirror on the reverse.

It is so cute and cost only 25 cents, would you believe??

But what will I do with it?

Any comments or information would be appreciated.

So, happy Monday and happy thrifting.

And be sure to visit Rhoda!

Public Sculptures

2010-07-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

New Zealand cities are full of modern sculpture located in the busiest parts of town where folks can enjoy them. Here is a top of gigantic proportions located at the end of a cul-de-sac off the main shopping street in Wellington. Yes, it is as big as it looks.
Above is another piece, perhaps a stylized tree, just outside one of the big department stores in Wellington. It is very cheery.
This is a happy love tree found in the downtown of Napier which has been transformed into a kind of mall.

My son who flew the nest to make a home in Wellington, for the time being, has arrived and is getting oriented. All is well there.

Windy Wellington

2010-07-27T21:36:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post a few photos of Wellington. Tomorrow evening my first born son moves to Wellington to live. He has a good job there and wants a bit of an adventure in his life. I think it's terrific but of course I would love to have him living closer. Perhaps in this country? (Just joking.)

The photo above was taken on the day we started out for Wellington. We left Christchurch on the 7 a.m. train for Picton. The morning sunrise was beautiful through the train window. Arrived at the Picton Ferry in time for the 1:30 trip across the strait to Wellington, in the North Island. Below is a photo of Wellington seen from the boat as we approached the dock.
Wellington is certainly reminiscent of San Francisco, built into the hills surrounding a bay. It does not snow there but it is known to be windy. It was lovely when we were there.

The photo below shows the town square near the harbor. Notice the lovely metal sculpture ball hanging over the open space. There are some new buildings around the square and some older ones. The Public Library, the low building with the large glass windows, stands at the background of the photo.
And Wellington has a cable car! It is a short trip, just two stops, I think. But still cool. It's a big tourist attraction. We can all understand that.

Front Garden

2010-07-20T14:17:00.001-07:00

This is my front garden today. Rocks and dirt. I removed all the plants and vegetation (some would say weeds) so I can start fresh.

Here is a garden in my neighborhood that I love. Maybe someday mine will look like this.

This homeowner did a beautiful job creating beds and lovely arrangements of perennials. And he used lots of plants with little leaves, an effect I would like to copy.
I met the gardener over the weekend when I happened to be on his street. He told me he did it all himself, over a period of time. I was very impressed.
Lots of native plants, with accents from Mediterranean, South African, and Australian plants.

Sunday in Kalmanastan

2010-07-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a glorious day in San Francisco. Blue skies and lots to do. First I went to the Contemporary Jewish Museum where I saw the Maira Kalman exhibit. She is one of the creators of the famous New Yorker cover, above, which was the first light-hearted cover to be published after 9/11. Her original version of the cover was on display, along with lots of other pieces. It's a great show, be sure to see it.

I was lured downtown because Target, who already owns my soul, was sponsoring free admission to many of the museums. After I left the Jewish Museum I popped into SFMoma to look around and see some of the Fisher Collection. What an impressive show! How wonderful that the Fishers chose to invest in contemporary art. There is some terrific stuff there.

And the most impressive thing was that so many families took advantage of the Target hospitality. The area was crawling with kids and parents, folks young and old, all enjoying culture and learning. Three cheers for Target.
Then finally I headed over to the Presidio Officers Club where there was a reception for the opening of the Watercolor Exhibit where there was a painting by a dear friend. The pictures are beautiful and all very special and unique. This is a juried show and very impressive.

So this is why I never made it to the Candlestick Flea Market. What till next month!

The Flea Market is Here!

2010-07-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

Photo: Michael Macor /The Chronicle

Hot off the press from today's SF Chronicle, front page.

Market starts tomorrow, see you there.

Original Paintings

2010-07-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Many of the bloggers I follow are able to find interesting paintings at flea markets, auctions, ebay, thrift stores and garage sales. So I have started to be on the lookout for paintings when I am out and about. There is something nice about having an original painting on the wall, instead of a print or poster. As long as you like it!

So last weekend I found this painting at a garage sale to benefit a team in training for the lymphoma/leukemia society, a group I hold dear.

It had my favorite colors, purple and green, with accents of yellow. I couldn't resist, especially the very low price.

I think I will hang it in my hall.

Will post more when it is on the wall.

Meanwhile, check out the other show and tell posts here.

Butterflies are free!

2010-07-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

The butterflies are free for the watching in downtown San Francisco. Neiman Marcus has two enormous windows full of hanging chains of feathery white and silver butterflies. I tried to take a photo but it is hard to eliminate the reflection in the window on a sunny day. Try this:
There must be hundreds of these hanging chains. Check it out on the Geary side of Neiman Marcus.

And here is a close-up with the buildings on the other side of the street reflected in the glass. The shiny spots are bright silver discs.

Last night after work I did some errands downtown. Here is peaceful Union Square where people sit in the sun, even after 5 p.m.

Enjoy the summer.

Thrifty Monday

2010-07-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

What's even better than a thrifty treasure? Something for nothing.

I picked up this lovely glass wine cooler on the corner of the street on my way to exercise class.

At the end of the month, when renters are moving, one often sees all kinds of things discarded on the street corners of San Francisco. The day before I found this item I saw a portable sewing machine, in a handled case, in the same place. I had no use for it and it was too heavy to carry far but I posted its location on the Freecycle website in case someone might be looking for a free sewing machine. I could not tell if it was working but it looked pretty good inside and I think it could be made to work fairly easily.

It was gone by the time I got home from work. I hope it went to a good home.

This glass piece is in perfect condition. The problem, of course, is I don't really need it. I may give it to my friend on consignment for sale in her shop. From treasure to cash is always a nice scenario.

Now check out Rhoda's Thrifty Treasures.

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/

Have a good week!

San Francisco Sunday

2010-06-22T20:48:00.000-07:00

Sunday was glorious in San Francisco. We walked over to Golden Gate Park to hear some band music and were delighted to discover Ben & Jerry's was giving out free ice cream!
This is the faux Vermont landscape they set up nearby to take pictures of anyone who wanted one.
We ran into several people we know.
We listened to the Golden Gate Park Band as they concluded their concert with a Sousa March I had never heard before. (How is that possible after all those years in marching band?)
As I walked home I came upon a group of people looking up at this reddish bird, on the upper branch. Could be a hawk.

I love living here in San Francisco, within walking distance of our beautiful park.

My Stylish Moments in New Zealand

2010-06-13T21:47:00.000-07:00

It's hard not to look like one's mother after a certain age. I was happy to see this "California Poppy" growing in the Wellington Botanic Gardens.
We stopped at a rest area on the way to Taupo from Napier. It overlooked another lovely falls. These kids were also stopped there and offered to take our photo. But they had to get into the picture themselves.

We had such good weather, I was not expecting it. So I bought a souvenir tee shirt at the visitor center and shorter pants at a thrift store. Can you tell who is the 'real' Kiwi below?

We went to see the steepest street in the world, Baldwin Street in Dunedin. None of that crooked road business, just straight up for several blocks.
And here's the inspiration for my trip, my favorite younger son, in his adopted environment.

It looks like New Zealand agrees with him!

Everything's Coming Up Roses!

2010-06-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

My roses are at their peak. The fog and dampness is just starting up here in SF so it's all downhill from here for the roses, time to welcome rust and black spot and mildew.

But they put on a great show so far.

The above photo shows cuttings from Honey Perfume, on the left, with its wonderful scent, and Easy Does It, the new rose of the year that I featured in one of my January posts.

Here is Honey Perfume on the bush.
And here is Easy Does It. At first the blooms were too orange but as they open the blooms turn to an apricot mango or pink.
This is a surprise bloom on a succulent type plant that grows next to my back door. It is totally neglected but still managed to send up a flower spike that is spectacular. I'll have to find out what it is. Does anyone know?

Have a good weekend everyone.

Linking to: Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

Napier, the Art Deco City

2010-05-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

In the 1930s there was a large earthquake in Napier (on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand) which destroyed the city. They rebuilt and decided to use an Art Deco design theme for many of the buildings. Above is the fountain which sits near the beach. You'll see it below in all its Deco Glory.

It is fascinating to watch at night when the lights change from red to green to blue and every other shade and the height of the fountain changes as well.

We stayed at a motel along the beach front and the sky was gorgeous as the sun was setting behind us, illuminating some fluffy clouds.

There is a stand of tall trees along the beach as well and it made for a nice photo.

On the way out of town the next afternoon we detoured by this beautiful building in the wharf and warehouse district. It was original built for the National Tobacco Company and it is a real classic.
Here is a close up of the front. It is still being used, although I think not by the National Tobacco Company. There were two businessmen walking in as I stopped to take this photo.

Eddie Ross is Downsizing!

2010-05-25T11:28:00.001-07:00

Above is my old wicker loveseat which I have had since my first unfurnished apartment in 1971. It needs to be repainted but still looks good outside my front door, at the top of the stairs.

Eddie Ross has announced that he has to have a garage sale to make room for all of the things he collects. Also, he must have heard about the possible new flea market at Candlestick Park and he wants to have enough room for his new purchases, so he's having a 'clear out.'

Check it out

In the meantime I have been unpacking more of my treasures only to discover there is no room for them in my downsized house. I am contemplating a storage cabinet in the garage for some of the things I want to keep and selling the rest on consignment. (But not the loveseat!)

Eddie Ross continues to inspire.

Antiquers Coming to Candlestick

2010-05-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, this was the headline in the SF Examiner story.

They are talking about a Flea Market on the third Sunday of the month at the Candlestick Park parking lot.

Here is a photo from the May Alameda Flea. My sister dragged me there, only somewhat reluctantly. We had a great time.

And so did all these other folks. It was a blockbuster day and I think SF is going to do well hosting another market.

See you all there on opening day!

From Bungees to Haast

2010-05-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

Here at the Kawarau Bridge outside of Queensland, is one of the original bungee jumping spots in New Zealand, still going strong. It's quite an operation with a dedicated building, refreshments stand, viewing area behind a glass fence, etc.

After taking the plunge the jumpers hang upside down from the bungees and this little raft goes out to meet them below the bridge, detaching them from the cords and taking them ashore again. I could not bring myself to jump or even to take a photo of a jump itself. Fascinating to watch however.

Later that same day we drove over the Haast Pass to the West Coast, following the Haast River for much of the time. Above is Fantail Falls, just a short hike from the road.

Here is a photo of one of the gorges created by the river. The water is so blue and beautiful.

Glaciers

2010-05-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

New Zealand is one of few places where you can see living glaciers at near sea level. And these glaciers are found in the midst of rain forest conditions on New Zealand's southwest coast where average rainfall is over 3 meters per year!

We visited two glaciers in the South Island of New Zealand, one called Fox Glacier and another called Franz Joseph glacier, named after the Austrian Emperor at the time by a German explorer.

The photos above shows Fox Glacier on the gloomy day were visited. The DOC (NZ's dept. of conservation) is constantly warning visitors to stay away from the glacier itself, unless on a special tour, and also to remain on the trail. These glaciers are unpredictable and there can be a sudden melting which could result in a dangerous rush of water.

Below are the photos from Franz Joseph:

Notice the ferns and lush vegetation, just yards from the frozen glacier. It is quite a contrary sight.

We took a very short walk up Sentinel Rock to get this view of it. As rain was threatening at the time we decided not to hike along the wide plain to the edge of the glacier. But you can see from this angle where the glacier has receded and the wide flat area that is left behind.

Milford Sound

2010-05-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

One of the most beautiful spots in New Zealand is the Fjordlands National Park, on the Southwest Coast of the South Island (the Kiwis call it Southland). The best known fjord, originally named a sound (which is not geologically accurate but the name stuck) is Milford Sound.

We took a tour in a van to Milford Sound which included a four hour round-trip drive from Te Anau, and a two and one-half hour boat trip around the sound.
The fjord was created by glaciers, like Yosemite Valley, but instead of leaving a river and meadow, the Tasman Sea just filled in the areas carved away by the glacier, so the sea comes right up to the granite walls, as seen above.
Among the wildlife at Milford are the dolphins which swim in the sound and love to follow the boats as they make their way around the sound.
The boat ride took us all the way out through the fjord to where it meets the Tasman Sea, just beyond this shot. This is another boat on the sound. Our boat was much larger.
Just like Yosemite Valley, there were several dramatic waterfalls coming down the sides of the granite, like this.

Natural New Zealand

2010-05-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

This scene is on the beach is in Moeraki, about an hour north of Dunedin. These large boulders are on the beach scattered all around. I guess the tide has smoothed them down to look like large balls.
Here is Max with the Moeraki harbor behind him. We ate at Fleur's Place which is a great seafood restaurant in Moeraki.

The Kiwis love their roses. I guess it goes back to their roots in the British Isles. These bushes were in the front yard of an ordinary motel up the street from ours. They were still in bloom in mid April, which is equivalent to our October.

This is a yellow eyed penguin being rehabilitated at a Penguin sanctuary. He is injured and they had him in the 'infirmary.' Because it was late in the season there were not many penguins to see on the Otago Peninsula but we did see a few. It was fun to watch one of them come out of the sea and waddle all the way into the 'preserve' and his little 'hut.'

More nature photos to come.

Exploring Christchurch

2010-05-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

We spent four nights in Christchurch, New Zealand, the longest stopover of our three week trip. We really loved this city. It had a lot to offer.

There were lovely public statuary, both old and modern. Above is one of the more recent pieces of public sculpture. The red part at the top moved around, sometimes the pieces separating from each other, sometimes joining up. I love how it contrasts with the older traditional looking buildings behind it.

This is one of the old buildings in the central Town Square of Christchurch. It faces a large open plaza, opposite the church. It also faces this sculpture, seen below, which looks a little like an ice cream cone.
This cone, called The Chalice, stands next to a large countdown clock, which is set for the Rugby World Cup Championship to be held in New Zealand in 2011. The Kiwis love their rugby!

And for the old, here is a statute of Robert Scott, carved in Carrara marble, a gift to the city in 1917 by his widow Kathleen Scott who is also the sculptor.
Captain Scott left for his ill-fated Antarctic trip from Christchurch and even today, there is a special connection between the city and the many subsequent explorations of that most remote continent. It is these connections that add to the feeling, while you are in New Zealand, that you are very far away from the rest of the world.
This is just a simple grate I saw on an old building as I was walking about town. It is a utilitarian item but it was created to be beautiful as well.

There will be more on Christchurch in later posts.

Back from New Zealand

2010-04-26T15:26:00.001-07:00

We arrived in Dunedin on our first day in New Zealand. From the center of downtown, called the Octagon, we could look down the street at the beautiful old train station. And it was just as interesting on the inside.

Dunedin was settled by Scotsmen and their architecture was reminiscent of the highlands in many respects.

Why is this night different from all other nights?

2010-03-31T12:07:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful Passover Seder on Monday night. I shoe-horned 20 guests into my living room and dining room for a sit-down dinner. No downsizing at Pesach!

We observed and we celebrated and we ate. With the help of many hands it was a tremendous success. [Even after the casserole dish broke in the oven sending most of the gravy onto the bottom of the oven where it proceeded to burn one-half hour before the guests arrived.]

I set up my large dining table with leaves in the living room and added a narrower folding table at the doorway between the living room and dining room to enable us all to sit at the same table, more or less.

I took this photo from the Dining room looking into the living room and out the front window.

And the leader sat here, back to the window, looking into the dining room, breakfast room and beyond.

Happy Holidays, everyone.

Thrifty Treasures

2010-03-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

For some time I have been following a Southern Belle blogger who likes to shop at tag sales and thrift shops. On Monday she shows her 'treasures' from the weekend and then others do the same on their blogs, through links. I'm finally going to attempt this so I hope it works.

I love shiny things and am a sucker for silver objects. I hit an estate sale on Sunday, just saw a sign as I was going about my errands, and I could not resist. I found two treasures as shown below.

The small plate is silver-plated with an interesting filigree edge and an octagonal shape. It was badly tarnished but I just had a hunch it would clean up well. There was a small handwritten $25 sticker on the back but since it was the end of a two days sale, (it was about 4:30 p.m.) I figured it would be less and frankly, I wasn't sure the sticker had anything to do with the estate sale at all. There was an enormous collection of stuff still for sale. I decided to offer $1. So I went up front and asked how much? The guy in charge said "It's half price now, it was $2 so now it's $1."

Can't resist a bargain, especially if it may shiny under all that tarnish.

Here it is after polishing. I wish I were a better photographer.

When I realized that the prices were so reasonable I looked around with new eyes and found another $1 treasure, that pretty brown glass vase with gold painted lines. I think it will look nice with a fall table setting. Luckily I was able to tear myself away before things got out of control. After all, I'm downsizing, right?

Here's the vase.

Click on this link to see Rhoda's treasures and find links to others. Have a great week!

The downsizing never ends

2010-03-11T12:07:00.000-08:00

My Mother, who is almost 90 years old, moved this week from a small studio apartment in an assisted living facility, to their garden area, where she now lives in a smaller space with one roommate.

So, guess what needs downsizing now? Her old place has belongings that need to be emptied out.

I think I need to make a permanent reservation at the Goodwill donation center for every weekend at 8:30 a.m. I've been there twice in two weeks and already have another pile for this weekend.

Photo by by Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle

The photo above shows the rose Honey Perfume, one of the bareroot roses I planted in January. I fertilized them all this weekend. They are all looking good and I have been adding some native plants too. Can't wait to pick my first rose.

Is the weekend over already?

2010-03-08T13:35:00.001-08:00

What a whirlwind this weekend was. Little bit of everything, clean-up, organizing, tossing, sights for the eyes, sights for the ears, good friends, and the Academy Awards for dessert.

Saturday started with a trip to Goodwill where I donated an old lamp of my Mom's [Downsizing!], followed by plant sale at Arboretum, recycling plastic pots at Native Plant Nursery, and trip to electrical repair person with two lamps I want to keep.

Friend Anne and I walked over to DeYoung in the p.m. to see the Amish quilt exhibit which is lovely. I recommend seeing this beautiful collection owned by a local couple (more about them later).

Then a ACT student production at the Zeum with Barbara, who said the acting was good (I wouldn't know, I eventually fell asleep, too many words for me) although we did not like (or understand?) the play itself.

On Sunday my friend Jeanette picked me up and I took her to the Alameda Flea Market, as she has been wanting to go for some time. It was a lovely morning for two hours of fleas. (And we only saw some of it.) Almost immediately I found some beaded flowers and bought them. Above are the tiger lilies in a temporary arrangement. The beaded flower obsession goes way back to my youth when my Mom's chicest friend, Rose, collected them. Old habits die hard.

But the best part of the Flea Market was running into a fellow blogger, Emily of EmilyStyle, who has been an inspiration for starting my blog. I recognized her immediately and she was so gracious about meeting a total stranger. She has a great blog and even though I am old enough to be her mother, I enjoy reading about her adventures in the City.

As if that weren't enough excitement for one morning, I myself, yes moi, was recognized by blogger Terry of LaDolfina, whom I had met on the Eddie Ross Flea Market tour in December. Terry was selling there (some of her mother's stuff) for the first time ever and said she was having a good day. She even found something to buy as well!

I think Jeanette was surprised that I found so many familiar faces. I, in turn, was suitably impressed when she told me the couple who own the quilts on exhibit live near her in Marin and she has met them and heard them talk about their collection. They are very protective of their quilts which explains why Anne thought she saw one of them at DeYoung when we were there. He's there every day, apparently.

The photo above is my latest chandelier, rescued from a garage sale long before I sold my old house, maybe two years ago? It needed lots of TLC, including new wiring and some paint removal. And then there was the problem with the bobeche (it's complicated). But Sunday afternoon I finally installed it in my master bathroom, all by myself, and I love it. Haven't had time to hang all the crystals but I will soon.

The Oscars are so over but I enjoyed the show with my friend Blanid, a glass of wine, and some good turkey chili (my sister's recipe).

I'm exhausted just reading all of this but that's it for me for the time being. Have a good week everyone.

Shades are up!

2010-03-04T15:02:00.001-08:00

Here are the shades, installed and ready to go. The color was just what I wanted and though they are not opaque, they are fine for a dining room.

It's a great look, I think. And I just figured out how to make my photos in my blog larger. Isn't this great!

And, after consulting with my decorator (my sister, without portfolio) I decided to get rid of another lamp which had been hiding in the dining room. Step by step I'm getting there.

Been busy downsizing, most of the time.

2010-03-03T13:57:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to get my house ready for my almost annual Passover Seder. This year will be the first one at my new home.

But there is lots of downsizing to be done before it can happen. Not to mention unpacking and putting things away.

I am almost finished hanging the new roman shades in the dining room. I did the two small windows but there is a table in front of the large window and I have to clear it off to move it so I can put the step-stool close enough to attach the brackets. I hope to have a photo for you soon of finished windows.

The shades came out very well, finally. I ordered custom shades from a place on the internet but the ones I received did not match the color shown on their website. It was not even close. Take a look:

This natural 'white' color is called Senegal according to the shade dealer and this is what I ordered.

But below are the shades I received.

When ordering on the net the E-tailers always warn that the colors in photos may have a different look on individual monitors. I always worry about this but I take it with a grain of salt and hope for the best. But when these dark shades arrived I was adamant that this was not what I ordered, not even CLOSE!

Then began the inevitable email correspondence, with photos and complaints. Back and forth, then nothing, etc. Finally I called them several times to get some sort of final decision. Turned out it was the weekend that the blizzard caused a four day weekend in Perth Amboy (of all places!) where the shades are manufactured.

To their credit, the company selling the shades had me send the dark shades back to them, at no cost to me, and the manufacturer re-made the shades with the dye lot pictured on the web site.

In the meantime, this is what uses up all of my extra time when I could be blogging.

So I will continue to slog through books, papers, knick-knacks and the things that take up too much space, in order to get ready for March 29th.

Flea Market Style

2010-02-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

There's a buzz about this magazine, just hitting the stores this week.

Locating it in San Francisco proved to be a bit tricky but it's now available at Borders.

I pestered the magazine person about it over the last few weeks so he has some copies, for all you flea market fans.

And for those of you who worry that buying the magazine will just 'enable' me, you are probably right but aren't I entitled to have fun once in a while? I enjoy the chase almost as much as the purchase so give me a break!

And I'll let you borrow my copy if you want it.

My Web Presence

2010-02-18T16:32:00.000-08:00

It was a surprise this week when Eddie Ross finally wrote about the Alameda Flea Market trip we enjoyed back in December.

Here is the link to the story. He is drumming up business for a similar trip to the Rose Bowl Market in Pasadena.

But if you scroll down you will see a photo of me which I had not seen before. What fun!

And from his other links I found another shot of Emily and me 'dressed to kill.' That was a real surprise too. Does this mean 30 minutes of fame?

Below is a photo of me talking to Eddie's partner Jaithan just after we arrived at Alameda.

What a great day it was!

Mystery Solved!

2010-02-16T15:32:00.001-08:00

My neighbor has this lovely perennial in her yard and even now, in February, it has the loveliest little pink flowers. She didn't know its name so that started me on a search. In the meantime, I decided to try to root a cutting or two and see if I could grow a shrub just like it.

Then I noticed this plant in the front yard around the corner, on the way to the Koret Center where I work out early every morning.

This photo, a close up, shows a lovely shrub/perennial, with interesting leaves, bordered in a lighter color and creamy white flowers. I also took a couple of small cuttings of this plant to see if I could get something going with it.

In the meantime, I searched California native plant websites with no luck identifying either of these plants. But as I was examining my cuttings in my little 'cuttings nursery,' I noticed that the plants, though not identical, were very similar.

So, on Monday, after a lovely lunch with friends at Park Chow, I decided to walk home thought Golden Gate park and the SF Arboretum, which is right there. First I strolled the California natives area but found nothing similar. Then I remembered that there is an area with Australian vegetation and I had a hunch that this was from Australia.

Near the other Arboretum entrance the mystery was solved. Underneath some large trees were several "Correa Dawn in Santa Cruz" plants, just like my neighbors with the pink flowers. Its common name is Australian Fuchsia, as the flower is somewhat fuchsia-like. Back home on the computer I found the plant family and the one with the creamy white flowers is called "Correa Ivory Bells." It's a great plant and I hope I get some rooted cuttings soon.

On Sunday I bought three very small Monkey Flower plants, a California native plant, and planted them across the 'path' from my roses. Here is a photo of a mature Monkey Flower or Mimulis growing in the Presidio.

I hope they like my yard. They are relatives of the penstemon plant.

Meanwhile, in the same yard where I found the Correa Ivory Bells, there is another interesting perennial and if anyone knows what it is, let me know.

A Hostess Gift

2010-02-08T20:03:00.000-08:00

On the way to Yosemite we stopped in Groveland to look around at the shops and thrift stores. I found this cute little creamer, half price at the Thrift Store. It had such a cute shape I couldn't leave it there. But did I need another creamer? Not really, not matter how cute or how cheap. But I knew it was nice silverplate (it was marked 'Made in England' on the reverse) and would clean up nicely. So I bought it, thinking I could bring it as a hostess gift to the party I was going to this last weekend.

I took it over to my Mother's place as I knew she would be interested in it. She loved it and wanted to know if there was 'more.' I answered "no sugar bowl" which is what she meant. It's great to know I can still communicate with my Mom even though she has Alzheimer's.

I remembered the great ideas on the Eddie Ross website where he shows how to create great gifts from the things he collects. Here are some suggestions from Eddie. So I decided, after cleaning it up, to add some pretty pink, white and red M&Ms and gather it up with some cellophane. But would the hostess really appreciate this creamer? How could I know ahead of time?
I could not know for sure but my friend Ann had a great suggestion. Her idea was to get a little tag to put on the creamer, then write in nice handwriting "Vintage Silverplate Creamer - Made in England." So I bought some tags and did that so at least the hostess would know what it was.

Here's how cute it looked all wrapped up. At the party on Sunday the hostess, whom I had met once or twice but did not know all that well, was most cordial and said she loved the creamer. She is a collector herself and seemed to appreciate my gesture.

So I got to buy the treasure but managed to get rid of it as well, to a fine purpose. That's not really downsizing but getting closer.

Snowy Yosemite!

2010-02-02T21:13:00.000-08:00

Had a great time at Yosemite National Park this weekend. There was tons of snow but it was on the ground, not on the roads or falling from the sky.

Mirror Lake trail was so snowy we could have used cross country skis to get there.

But it was lovely to be out in the fresh air, smelling the pines, and ambulating around the valley.

And here is my first blog video. It's taken at the base of Lower Yosemite Falls from the wooden bridge looking just above it. The water is so beautiful and the sound is terrific.

And here is a photo, just a taste of our weekend.

Yosemite Fieldtrip!

2010-01-28T12:07:00.001-08:00

No more posts this week. Off to yosemite tomorrow with friends. Maybe next week will bring a bit of a travelogue.

Have a good weekend everybody.

The Sofa Reveal

2010-01-27T19:21:00.000-08:00

When I moved I knew I would have to buy a sofa. My old living room had a sectional of sorts, a banquette that my late husband put together himself, with professionally upholstered foam slabs and bolsters. It worked beautifully in our old house but here I did not have a wall against which to position it.

So I started looking at the ads and various magazines for ideas. I decided I wanted something that did not have wide arms which take up and waste a lot of space. Also, the room, while generous, is not all that wide so I couldn't handle a really wide sofa.

So, one day I happened to look for a used sofa on craigslist. Someone was selling a 'vintage' sofa which looked interesting.

Here is the photo I saw:

I liked the lines of it and loved the vintage look. I thought the three cushions were practical as two larger ones present a crack in the middle where no one ever sits. I have some low Eames chairs, the Herman Miller Lounge Chair Wood, and I thought this sofa would look well with them.

So, I bought it! The seller lived very close by and the move worked well. Here it is at my house after the move:

As you can see, it had to be re-upholstered. I looked for fabric, in New York when I was there, on ebay, at the decorator center and finally at Calico Corner. At Calico Corner I found this great fabric which I used and here is the result:
I just love the result. Simple and elegant but unique. I won't be seeing a lot of sofas like mine. And I even emptied some of the boxes be in the background. Soon it will be ready for prime time, I hope.

Eggplant Parmesan, Take Two

2010-01-26T13:04:00.000-08:00

Speaking of eggplant, I found myself with an eggplant left over from another culinary pursuit so I decided to try my brother's Bobby Flay technique. Here is a photo of the results. I think doing serving size tiers of three slices is a terrific idea. The presentation looks so good. And it tasted good too.

Here it is in the baking dish:

And here it is on my plate. It is a meal in itself.

Bon appetit!

Let It Rain!

2010-01-21T19:12:00.001-08:00

The winter is finally here with a vengeance. lots of rain and wind and even more excitement like thunder and lightning and even a tornado in Southern California.

Bad news? Not for me. The timing was terrific. My new house is a downsize but my new yard is probably bigger. The backyard is a rectangle facing West. It was once a lawn but things had gotten out of hand. I hired some garden workers to clean up a lot of weeds and cut them back. Here are photos after they finished.

These photos were taken late in the day during late Fall. Notice how the light stays longest up against the back of the house. [Looking at these pictures helped me decide where to plant.]

Then I decided to try to kill what was left in the ground by cardboard mulching. I broke down some boxes and spread them out over the ground, entirely covering the dirt and whatever weeds were starting to come back once the rains started. The plan is to prevent any light from stimulating growth so the weeds, etc., die.

Eventually the cardboard will decompose right where it is. In another month I will start to buy some plants and I can cut through the cardboard where I want to place them. Have not decided yet what to plant but I am interested in a meadow garden of native species.

Here's the cardboard at the beginning. I also used some newspapers. Note the bricks, rocks, pots and other heavy objects I used to keep the papers/cardboard from flying around on a windy day. It works some of the time.

With my western outlook and some light reflection off the back of the house I am also hoping to grow some roses. I miss the rose bushes I left behind.

So, around Thanksgiving, I sketched out part of the backyard on some graph paper and planned a little rose garden where I think I will get the best sun. I ordered five bareroot roses, including some of my favorites and that new one called "Easy Does It."

Photo: Gene Sasse / Weeks Roses

Luckily, I ordered well before Christmas and nothing was sold out yet. The nursery finally sent out the roses last week and they arrived on Wednesday. I was able to get three planted on Friday afternoon, two on Saturday. Just time for the rain.

Now as the rain falls I can picture all those roots happy and busy growing with lots of moisture. And the rain encourages new growth on the canes, too. So I cannot curse the weather. It's good for gardens and ducks.

Here are photos of the rose bushes. I know they look like sticks now but they are busy plumping up both below and above ground, thanks to all that rain! I used some organic mulch around each bush and the extra I put on top of the cardboard in the area of the roses. That's the dark brown dirt you see here.

Won't it be grand when the bushes grow tall and spread? We'll see in a few months.

Please raise your hands . . . .

2009-12-23T13:44:00.000-08:00

. . . if you remember our revolving bookcase from my old house?

It was a lovely piece but needed some work. It had been painted black except for the top which was oak and badly stained. It also needed some of the thin wood straps on the sides.

So I sent it out for refinishing and it came back yesterday. WOW! It is really beautiful now.

Here it is after I moved it from Jefferson. Yes, let's keep it in the corner so no one can see it.

Now I can keep it in a more prominent place. I hate to cover it up with books! Well, I guess I will anyway. In this photo you can see my recently covered 'new' sofa. More about that later.

Today I am celebrating the bookcase. Turns out the whole piece is oak, even the base. The base is iron and oak. It feels like a bought a new piece of furniture.

Settling in has been slow but steady. One of these days I'll be unpacked for good. More progress to show soon.

Night Scenes at Christmas

2009-12-16T15:00:00.001-08:00

My favorite decorated tree last year was in the Bank of America Plaza on California and Kearny.
This year I happened by during the day time and I saw it up close. There it is below. It's covered with tiny red and orange/yellow lights. The two colors give it a lot of depth at night. I love the all red look. It's something a bit different. The black hulk in the front is a granite sculpture that is permanently installed there. The locals call it "the banker's heart."

Here is a photo from last year of the tree at night. I love how it reflects off of the glass surfaces of the building itself. See the reflection on the left of the photo.

Further out near Laurel Village I saw a lovely scene in front of a duplex. It shows you can have some decorations even if you do not have a front yard. The residents covered their street tree with lights and lighted hanging balls. On the ground by the trunk they placed a deer and a Santa. Usually these ordinary mass produced items look silly but I really enjoyed the way this whole scene developed.

Here's a shot from across the street. There's even a Santa who responds to a motion sensor and talks and moves a bit. What a kick!

Then, after walking home down Arguello I noticed a lovely scene, without any lights or hoopla. Here is a deciduous tree covered with pretty shiny ball ornaments. Even at night it casts its spell.

Happy Winter everyone!

More vintage light fixtures

2009-12-15T16:24:00.001-08:00

check out this link to another blog I like, Velvet and Linen.

She bought vintage fixtures at a Flea Market in LA (would that be at the Rose Bowl?) that are just like mine. I think I got a good deal.

Who is Bobby Flay?

2009-12-14T12:18:00.000-08:00

The night my sister visited we had a terrific homecooked dinner at my brother and sister-in-law's place. They are great hosts and David often does the cooking.

Our first course was eggplant parmesan a la Bobby Flay. Now I had never heard of Bobby Flay but apparently he is a Food Network star and one of his shows is called "Throwdown." Hard to imagine wanting to eat something created on a show called "Throwdown" but his eggplant creation was to die for, even after David tweaked it according to what he had on hand.

David had seen Flay cook this dish on TV so when he saw that eggplant was on sale at CalMart he decided to copy it. I wish I had taken a photo of it, the presentation was gorgeous, a small stack of eggplant rounds with sauce and cheese in between. Rather than risk copyright infringement I refer you to the Food Network website itself to see the recipe and the photo. And here is a video of Bobby making it. David's looked every bit as good as that one. It was so light and delicious, must be all that wonderful cheese!

Have a good week everybody! Hungry yet?

Alameda Flea/Deals on Vintage Light Fixtures?

2009-12-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

I've been on a binge finding vintage light fixtures for my new house. After visiting the flea market over the weekend I recommend craigslist as the source of first resort.

My entry and hallway already had two nice crystal ceiling fixtures. They were not old but they looked nice and I decided to keep them. The third fixture at the end of the hall was okay, interesting glass over the bulb, but not a very interesting look and it certainly did not complement the others.

While trolling craigslist for fixtures I found this one:

I loved it immediately and bought it from a seller in nearby Glen Park (the chandelier I bought in Windsor, north of Santa Rosa, and my two hour trip up there and back, is a craigslist story for another day) . I had to get the sockets replaced as they were plastic and one was cracked. All in all the whole thing cost around $100 to buy and fix up, which made me wonder if it was worth it. By the way, those clear beads are all glass, strung together with wire like an inverted beehive.

Doesn't it look great when the light is on?

So there I was at Alameda, poking around, when I saw for sale not one but two fixtures very similar to mine. One was $175 and one was $250. They were also crystal glass, maybe a bit fancier, but neither one had the plate with the sockets, etc., which I call the guts of the fixture. I couldn't believe it!

This proves again that before buying anything you should check out craigslist, the homeowner's friend.

Alameda Flea with Eddie and Jaithan

2009-12-07T20:27:00.000-08:00

Back in April Eddie Ross announced that he would be coming out to the Alameda Flea Market in December and would take a group around with him for some inside tips. I was the first one to sign up, according to Jaithan, Eddie's partner in life and business. Emily, my sister, was jazzed about it immediately and said she would fly up from Tucson for the occasion. "It'll be a hoot", were her exact words, as I recall. I made reservations for two.

Finally the big day arrived and although the weather was very wintry (I wore my silk long underwear and was very comfortable) we drove over with my friend Ann who also reserved a space. The wait was worth it. The group was compatible, all ages and interests, from all over of the Bay Area. Eddie took us to some pre-selected stalls where he showed us how to shop for certain items and how to improve them and incorporate them into our homes and decor.

Be sure to check out his blog as he has the best credentials. www.eddieross.com

I tried to remember that I am downsizing and not to buy too much. I got a gift and a small silver spoon for my collection.

Here are some more photos:

Here is Emily with the lovely tablecloth she bought.

It had a southwestern theme and she knew immediately
she wanted to buy it. The colors are vibrant and beautiful.
Eddie brought us to this vendor who had beautiful vintage linens.

Eddie suggested that these reproduction chairs were nothing special. But with new upholstery, which could be easily done with a staple gun, gimp (trim) and some glue, and a paint job on the wood which would highlight the great shape of the wood frame, these would be great little chairs for an entry or hall.

2009-11-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

The photos below are before with the old furnace. Above is my new, small but 2.5X more efficient furnace. Of course it is not connected yet so I have spent a week without heat but only one more day.

Busy with the things seen and mostly unseen.

2009-11-23T18:49:00.000-08:00

I recently decided to replace my 73 year old gravity furnace, original to this house. It still worked but not efficiently and the heat was no evenly distributed throughout the house.

Also it was a behemoth, taking up lots of space in the garage, with enormous asbestos vents with unsightly fiberglass wrapping. Here are some photos of how it all looked:

Gumps (continued)

2009-11-09T20:28:00.001-08:00

I did not mean to publish that yet as I want to say more. I'll get the hang of it soon.

This is the Buccellati Silver. On top of an Italian marble table!

And here is more of the Heirloom Silver. I love silver toast racks and chafing dishes. And so practical! And so beautiful!

Where good taste costs no more . . .

2009-11-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

. . .or something like that. That used to be Gumps motto. Now my office is in the same block as the store and I love to watch the changing seasons in their windows. November is my favorite time as they show silver and antiques. This is part of the Heirloom silver display. Nothing like shiny old silver that someone else polished!

It's beginning to look a lot like . . .

2009-11-09T20:17:00.000-08:00

While waiting for the bus on Market tonight I noticed that the seasonal snowflakes are lit up. PG&E donated them to the City last year. They are made up of LED lights as a conservation measure. They made a big deal about it last year with a grand lighting by the mayor and music and entertainment, down at the Powell and Market Cable Car turnaround. I was there!

But I guess this year they are old hat already. Actually, they kept the snowflakes up all year but they were dark until just recently, who knows, maybe today.

2009-11-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

And here is the view from the back of the house looking towards the entry:

You can see how lovely the zebra-like stripes are. All from my favorite store, ROSS!

Rugs for the Hall

2009-11-03T13:37:00.001-08:00

My theory is that animal prints are the new 'neutrals.'

Based on that I bought two new runners for my long hall. I love them, they are just the right width (I needed narrow) and the design is super.

Here is the view from the Entryway Hall:

Small is Beautiful

2009-09-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

or maybe medium size, per my sister.

You know you have downsized when your new place is so full of furniture that you can barely get around and the stager at your old house, almost on the market, says "Your house just eats up furniture. I keep finding spaces to fill up."

Of course, maybe that's why it took me so long to move out of there.

Let the blogging begin

2009-09-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

Turns out my first blog address contained a typo so I deleted it and am starting all over.

This is an experiment for me to see if I have anything worth saying about anything.

Enjoy!