Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Can I decorate YOUR house?
Is it wrong that we've only been in this house for under two years and I already want to repaint it? I think I have an addiction to decorating.
Lately, I've been thinking about different colours and, uh, kinda hating the colours I have here now. Well maybe hating is too strong a word, but I'm growing bored of the look. What I did here is mostly in the blue category. Our living room/dining room is painted in a teal colour.
The entries (both back and front) are in a light grey. Our bedroom is in that same light grey.
The office is a sky blue.
And the kitchen and bathroom are a shade of barely noticeable off-white with all the doors painted a really dark blue-grey. This arrangement works really nicely, don't get me wrong, it really does. I'm just bored of it already. It's not enough to just rearrange the furniture anymore, apparently. I want to get in with a brush.
The colours I'm feeling really drawn to right now are shades of green, brown, dark grey (almost black), and yellow.
I would really like to redo the flooring, too, and get rid of this stupid yellow-toned wood laminate and put in something dark brown. Maybe not laminate. I'm starting to really hate laminate (but maybe it's because the previous owners didn't install it properly). And we desperately need to get rid of the awful rug in the living room/dining room because it's just awful. Who likes wall-to-wall carpeting anymore? And further more, who likes it light toned and really plush AND in your dining room. Worst place for a carpet ever? Maybe bathroom comes in first on that one (and yes, I've seen homes with carpeting in the bathroom before).
Speaking of bathrooms, we really need to redo ours. Mostly because we were told there was some slight water damage going on behind the tiles because they weren't sealed properly when they were installed. I don't know if I'd want to retile though. Maybe...I can't decide. But if I did, I'd go with white subway tile. I really love the look of that and I love keeping everything white in a bathroom because I love how white makes everything feel really clean. Plus it's easier to change out your style with accessories than having to rip out seriously outdated tile every 10 years.
And as much as I hate IKEA, I really love some of their kitchen designs. I'd probably keep everything white in there as well. I've always found that dark cabinets really make a room dark (even if that room has a lot of light coming in).
Lately, I've been thinking about different colours and, uh, kinda hating the colours I have here now. Well maybe hating is too strong a word, but I'm growing bored of the look. What I did here is mostly in the blue category. Our living room/dining room is painted in a teal colour.
The colour really changes depending on the light, doesn't it?
The entries (both back and front) are in a light grey. Our bedroom is in that same light grey.
The front entry.
The office is a sky blue.
You get office colour, floor colour, AND door colour all in one pic!
And the kitchen and bathroom are a shade of barely noticeable off-white with all the doors painted a really dark blue-grey. This arrangement works really nicely, don't get me wrong, it really does. I'm just bored of it already. It's not enough to just rearrange the furniture anymore, apparently. I want to get in with a brush.
The colours I'm feeling really drawn to right now are shades of green, brown, dark grey (almost black), and yellow.
Love: Pale avocado, sempervivum, park cactus, honeydew flesh, pea pod, marjoram, green leaf
Love: Green pear, olive butter, chameleon green, white lemon
Love Gazelles of the desert, homespun cotton, cotton duck, portobello, oyster mushroom, medieval manuscript
(paint colours from Sico -- the easiest website I found for getting a bunch of colour choices fast, but I have my own fandeck here -- I told you I'm hooked! -- so I'd go off of that in real life)
I would really like to redo the flooring, too, and get rid of this stupid yellow-toned wood laminate and put in something dark brown. Maybe not laminate. I'm starting to really hate laminate (but maybe it's because the previous owners didn't install it properly). And we desperately need to get rid of the awful rug in the living room/dining room because it's just awful. Who likes wall-to-wall carpeting anymore? And further more, who likes it light toned and really plush AND in your dining room. Worst place for a carpet ever? Maybe bathroom comes in first on that one (and yes, I've seen homes with carpeting in the bathroom before).
Speaking of bathrooms, we really need to redo ours. Mostly because we were told there was some slight water damage going on behind the tiles because they weren't sealed properly when they were installed. I don't know if I'd want to retile though. Maybe...I can't decide. But if I did, I'd go with white subway tile. I really love the look of that and I love keeping everything white in a bathroom because I love how white makes everything feel really clean. Plus it's easier to change out your style with accessories than having to rip out seriously outdated tile every 10 years.
Browny wispy tile with shiny gold and brown accent tiles anyone? Oh and I really love the scalloped soap holders they placed right in the middle of the wall (aka shoulder/elbow smashers).
And as much as I hate IKEA, I really love some of their kitchen designs. I'd probably keep everything white in there as well. I've always found that dark cabinets really make a room dark (even if that room has a lot of light coming in).
This is almost exactly how our kitchen layout is now, except the sink is where the oven is and the oven is where the sink is. Fancy that!
I love how open this is!
I adore the white with the dark wood top!
The only dark wood cabinets I did like. I think paired with white upper cabinets or shelving (like they did here) is the only way dark wood doesn't look dark and gloomy. Instead it kinda grounds everything.
(all pics from IKEA, duh)
There's my house wishlist 2010. I really like that we bought an older house that has so much potential. We can make this house whatever we want, and I like that idea. It's almost too easy to just go and buy a house that was built a month ago and there's absolutely nothing you really have to do to it...though, that's kinda appealing in it's own way, too...haha
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Shhh I have to tell you something!
There's another Greek salad! Seriously. There's two of them! I know! I was just as shocked as you are right now!
So we're at this restaurant with Idle Husband's aunt, uncle and family, they've ordered for the whole table without seeing a menu -- apparently there was this huge debate/argument over what kind of meat I liked, because the only meat available that day was pork, and ohmygodwhatifshedoesn'tlikepork?!! Meanwhile, I had been sitting there, humming to myself, completely oblivious to the "problem" when IH looked over and asked me if pork was ok. Which, duh, of course it was. I don't care. And then I went back to humming. Crisis averted. You're welcome. Anyhoo, when the starters came, there was the traditional Greek salad -- you all know the one. Tomatoes, cucumber, feta, olives, olive oil -- and then there was another. Ever intrigued, I watched as they squirted copious amounts of lemon juice all over it and began passing it around. (fyi: the pork chop that was to come later, was about the size of my head but also the most delicious thing ever. I had to -- sadly -- quit my attempt at finishing it about a quarter way through).
The salad was called maroulosalata, and it was delicious. I wasn't sure I'd be able to replicate it, but surprise surprise, I could! It's so simple and so good, and you know what? It's super nice to eat something so pretty and green after it's been grey and white outside for so long.
So we're at this restaurant with Idle Husband's aunt, uncle and family, they've ordered for the whole table without seeing a menu -- apparently there was this huge debate/argument over what kind of meat I liked, because the only meat available that day was pork, and ohmygodwhatifshedoesn'tlikepork?!! Meanwhile, I had been sitting there, humming to myself, completely oblivious to the "problem" when IH looked over and asked me if pork was ok. Which, duh, of course it was. I don't care. And then I went back to humming. Crisis averted. You're welcome. Anyhoo, when the starters came, there was the traditional Greek salad -- you all know the one. Tomatoes, cucumber, feta, olives, olive oil -- and then there was another. Ever intrigued, I watched as they squirted copious amounts of lemon juice all over it and began passing it around. (fyi: the pork chop that was to come later, was about the size of my head but also the most delicious thing ever. I had to -- sadly -- quit my attempt at finishing it about a quarter way through).
The salad was called maroulosalata, and it was delicious. I wasn't sure I'd be able to replicate it, but surprise surprise, I could! It's so simple and so good, and you know what? It's super nice to eat something so pretty and green after it's been grey and white outside for so long.
The Green Greek Salad (maroulosalata)
(I'm not going to tell you how much exactly. You know how to make a salad. Just use as much as you need to feed the people waiting to be fed)
Romaine lettuce (or other leaf lettuce)
Green onion
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt/pepper (to taste)
Dill (optional)
First, cut the lettuce in really thin, strips -- as though it's been shredded. Through snoopage, I discovered it's super easy to do this if you kinda roll the leaves together lengthwise, then slice the leaf across it's width in about 1 centimeter-sized strips. Easy! (I'm cutting all of my lettuce like this forever.) Chop up your onion (I'm not going to give you detailed instructions on that). Toss them together with the lettuce in a bowl, you caveman. Drizzle with a bit of oil (a little goes a long way), lemon juice (freshly squeezed if you're that kind of cook), salt and pepper it, and maybe add a sprinkling of either dried or fresh dill. Toss it all together and that's it. You're done. Now go teach your uncouth friends that there's more than just one salad choice when in Greece.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Oh, drab Wednesday
Normal Life Greek Joke
Ok, I suppose this isn't really a "normal life" Greek joke, but I'm trying to throw out some random post-its I have laying around and it was on one of them. Hey, if I've forgotten it up till now, there's a chance I'll forget it forever if I throw the post-it away without mentioning it.
You've seen the movie The Golden Compass, right? You know, the one with Nicole Kidman and their souls (I guess you can call it) walk around in the form of an animal and there's talking polar bears? Ok, well, I'm hoping you have cuz otherwise this won't make a stitch of sense.
Anyhoo, there's a device in the movie called an alethiometer. Apparently this device tells the truth and only one person in the movie can decipher it. It's pretty damn important in the scheme of things. So we're watching the movie, and Idle Husband turns to me and says, elethiometer (note: it's said more like this than with an 'a' sound) is basically like saying idiotmeter because elethio is Greek for idiot.
So here's this important device that's supposed to be telling the truth about people, things, whatever, but it feels (even more) bogus (than it should) because it's secretly called an idiotmeter. I guess you can look at it two ways. The person reading it is an idiot or it only measures idiots. Either way it's pretty suspect.
On an unrelated note:
I guess there's a lot of buzz over Apple's new iPad, but I wasn't aware of it until IH complained about it.
Firstly, this is the WORST NAME OF A PRODUCT IN THE HISTORY OF PRODUCT NAMES EVER. Honestly, I really can't get over the word "pad." It makes me think of lady hygiene products and that's so not cool. (and I'm not the only one)
Secondly, it seems to be a large, awkward version of the iTouch. Features include turning it whichever way you want and it adjusts. Wow. That's, like, so, like, um...we've seen that before.
Thirdly (and kinda off topic), who the hell dresses Steve Jobs? Honestly. He makes a kazillion dollars (that's a guesstimation) and he can't afford a stylist? In what era has too-large-for-you washed denim jeans and a tucked in black turtleneck (who looks good in those?!) been the vogue thing to wear? I could get it if he were actually stuck in a decade -- hey, I'm Steve Jobs and bell bottoms work for my figure! -- but I just don't get this look. Just the fact that this guy, in his baggy washed denim jeans and terrible black turtleneck sells a product that seems to define the "cool hipster indie geek" persona is so super backward and weird to me. It's a cool product sold by an uncool man who's oddly accepted by all the cool kids. FYI: this wouldn't happen in any other situation except this one. Ever. Also, I'm not going to spend that much money on an electronic gadget before first dressing myself. And that should really be everyone's motto.
For interests sake:
I'm going to start using Jay Leno as a way to describe someone who gives you something and then later wants it back.
possible usage: "You want that picture back?! You're such a Jay Leno!!"
I'm already using Jim Belushi as an expletive.
actual event: [after banging my finger between the wall and the vacuum cleaner] "Jim Belushi!!" (it's really important to emphasize the Jim part)
Ok, I suppose this isn't really a "normal life" Greek joke, but I'm trying to throw out some random post-its I have laying around and it was on one of them. Hey, if I've forgotten it up till now, there's a chance I'll forget it forever if I throw the post-it away without mentioning it.
You've seen the movie The Golden Compass, right? You know, the one with Nicole Kidman and their souls (I guess you can call it) walk around in the form of an animal and there's talking polar bears? Ok, well, I'm hoping you have cuz otherwise this won't make a stitch of sense.
Anyhoo, there's a device in the movie called an alethiometer. Apparently this device tells the truth and only one person in the movie can decipher it. It's pretty damn important in the scheme of things. So we're watching the movie, and Idle Husband turns to me and says, elethiometer (note: it's said more like this than with an 'a' sound) is basically like saying idiotmeter because elethio is Greek for idiot.
the idiotmeter
So here's this important device that's supposed to be telling the truth about people, things, whatever, but it feels (even more) bogus (than it should) because it's secretly called an idiotmeter. I guess you can look at it two ways. The person reading it is an idiot or it only measures idiots. Either way it's pretty suspect.
On an unrelated note:
I guess there's a lot of buzz over Apple's new iPad, but I wasn't aware of it until IH complained about it.
Firstly, this is the WORST NAME OF A PRODUCT IN THE HISTORY OF PRODUCT NAMES EVER. Honestly, I really can't get over the word "pad." It makes me think of lady hygiene products and that's so not cool. (and I'm not the only one)
Secondly, it seems to be a large, awkward version of the iTouch. Features include turning it whichever way you want and it adjusts. Wow. That's, like, so, like, um...we've seen that before.
Thirdly (and kinda off topic), who the hell dresses Steve Jobs? Honestly. He makes a kazillion dollars (that's a guesstimation) and he can't afford a stylist? In what era has too-large-for-you washed denim jeans and a tucked in black turtleneck (who looks good in those?!) been the vogue thing to wear? I could get it if he were actually stuck in a decade -- hey, I'm Steve Jobs and bell bottoms work for my figure! -- but I just don't get this look. Just the fact that this guy, in his baggy washed denim jeans and terrible black turtleneck sells a product that seems to define the "cool hipster indie geek" persona is so super backward and weird to me. It's a cool product sold by an uncool man who's oddly accepted by all the cool kids. FYI: this wouldn't happen in any other situation except this one. Ever. Also, I'm not going to spend that much money on an electronic gadget before first dressing myself. And that should really be everyone's motto.
For interests sake:
I'm going to start using Jay Leno as a way to describe someone who gives you something and then later wants it back.
possible usage: "You want that picture back?! You're such a Jay Leno!!"
I'm already using Jim Belushi as an expletive.
actual event: [after banging my finger between the wall and the vacuum cleaner] "Jim Belushi!!" (it's really important to emphasize the Jim part)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
It. Was. Cold.
I mean, I shouldn't be complaining, really, because it wasn't as cold as it could have been. I'm really being a baby about the whole scenario -- normally I'd be scoffing at this temperature. Minus 15?! Ah hahaha! I laugh in your face, minus 15. That's nothing! I can stay out all day in that! But it felt oh so much colder for reasons I can't explain and since I can't really figure it out, I'm going to blame it on our two weeks spent in Greece which totally declimatized me for Canadian weather. Is declimatized even a word? I don't really care. That's the word that best describes it.
So here's this picture of the weird tree in our backyard. You can pretend you're me and stare at it blankly for 10 minutes. That kinda helped me forget my cold troubles (aka It's been 5 hours since I got home from my walk and I still can't feel my friggin' legs).
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