We moved into our newly remodeled house several months ago, but many of the finishing pieces are still trickling in ever. so. slowly. The arrival of the banquette marked the (almost) completion of the kitchen and breakfast area, which I am happy to finally share with you. The kitchen was my favorite part of the remodel, and the part I thought about and researched the most. I wanted to make absolutely sure it suited my cooking style as well as my aesthetic. Because mine truly is a “working kitchen,” it was imperative that the lay-out of appliances, sinks, and storage were well planned and made sense for me. I am thrilled to report that so far I am totally loving cooking and baking in this space, and have not yet discovered anything I wish we had done differently.
This “before” picture shows the kitchen, which was about half the size of the new one, and flanked by a tall pantry. We ripped everything out and added two more windows on the right wall. This left us with a big open space to play with!
The two additional windows add light and fresh air on those rare days we can open them here in Austin. The window panel looks out onto a gravel courtyard surrounding a magnificent oak tree, and we plan to turn that area into a dining/entertaining space reminiscent of those we loved in Provence. Pass the wine and cheese, please.
Originally I thought I wanted a white marble countertop, but I was concerned about its durability. I am not a fastidious cook, and splashes of stuff have been known to sit on my counters longer than I care to admit. After much thought we opted for quartzite, a natural stone that can look much like marble but is more forgiving of cooks like me. We liked it so much that we put it on the backsplash as well. So far I have not had any problems with etching or staining, and I love the veining and the shine.
The wall of windows meant that we couldn’t have many upper cabs. I have gotten used to the drawers, though, and use them to store dishes, glasses, and pots and pans. The slightly restricted storage was a good exercise in culling my cooking implements to the ones I really use. All duplicates went into boxes for the kids, or went to the lake, or were given away. I love opening a drawer and seeing exactly what I need, with no unstacking required. Less truly can be more!
This hand-me-down from my grandmother made the cut, though.
This freestanding open shelf unit was made from counter remnants and steel. The white stone shelves remind me of a display from a French patisserie (alas, without the pastries). I keep some of our every day dishes and glasses on it, and plan to rotate decorative pieces on it, as well.
I love these two “floating shelves” on either side of my range. They are also steel, and were attached to the sheet rock before the stone backsplash was threaded over them. Amazing, non? I am glad I wasn’t there to see it happen.
Mark loves the look of clear counters, so we built a little storage area to keep our frequently used appliances hidden but still accessible. Not visible but also there are a toaster and a blender.
I kinda like these sleek electrical outlets, which are covered and lie flat along the back of the counter top.
My pantry space is to the left of the refrigerator. The pull-out unit takes some getting used to, but is an efficient use of space. I store a few extra items in an upper cabinet.
All of my dry goods live in this shallow cabinet next to the pantry. I found the containers at a restaurant supply store, and they have kind of changed my life. No more partially- used flour bags zipped up in plastic bags. No more dry beans slipping out of open packages. No more wondering what lurks in the depths of deep dark shelves.
This pantry is still evolving. I need some more containers (like one for that sad bag of powdered sugar) but haven’t made it back to the store for those yet. I really love that I can dip measuring cups into these wide containers without spilling contents onto the counter. It’s the little things, you know?
Another thing I planned out ahead of time was my spice drawer. I cannot stand pulling out bins of spices and lifting countless jars up in search of the cumin or the cream of tartar. I found these little cuties on-line, and they please me greatly. I like buying my spices in small quantities, so this small size works well for me.
My island is the size of a sedan. I KNOW. But it is so nice being able to spread out several kitchen projects at the same time. It also makes it very comfortable for more than one cook to be in the space. Also if we ever want to turn out house into a disco for a night, it will make a great dancing stage. Just gotta watch out for the prep sink.
The island is home to the microwave and the wine refrigerator and the trash/recycling/dog food bins.
To the left of the wine fridge is a handy lift for my mixer (which is heavy as hell). I can crank it up, slide it onto the island, and then say goodbye to it when the cookies are baked. Sweeeeeet!
Thank you for your service now go away.
The banquette was a subject of debate, as Mark was not crazy about the idea of blocking the windows. He relented (thanks honey!) and I think it looks fine in that space.
So that’s it- my shiny bright brand new kitchen! Thanks for stopping by and please come again. And if you enjoyed your tour, please don’t forget to tip your guide.
Bonjour Friends! We are back home after two weeks in Vancouver, Alaska, and Seattle. The trip was fabulous and, as always, it was fabulous to get back home. Except for the unpacking, laundry, and “where am I?” part, of course. I am powering through the chaos, and for some reason these cookies seemed vitally important to that effort.
This recipe caught my eye because it calls for milk powder, which I happened to have from that time I made Barefoot Contessa’s Dog Treats. (I know- right? They were super cute and would have received a resounding “thumbs-up” if the lucky recipients had thumbs). Of course, the cookies also needed cream cheese, milk chocolate, and Oreos, which I did not have in my pantry, but those things are easier to use up than the milk powder is. So that, my friends, is how I ended up making these cookies by the sparkly Joy The Baker when I should have been sleeping or paying bills or doing something useful. Sorry not sorry.
But let’s talk about Vancouver, shall we?
I made the most of my window seat and the clear day on the four-hour flight from Houston. I loved the way the topography changed along the way.
This was my first visit to Vancouver and I was totally bowled over by its beauty and how spanking clean it was!
This tree wore a groovy crocheted accessory, making it almost as groovy as my niece Juju.
We took the water taxi to Granville Island, where we enjoyed perusing the market.
how come my cupcakes never look this good?
I loved the copper at Liberty Distillery.
I would rent an apartment in this building just for this floor at its entrance!
One night we were treated to a gorgeous fireworks display, which was much appreciated since we missed both Fourth of July and Bastille Day fireworks this year.
We had the joy of traveling with my sister’s family and my mom on this trip. They loved smiling for the camera.
Lookin’ good, Sistah! You too, Meredith!
Oh yeah- we had a couple of dudes with us, too.
Our next stop was aboard the Celebrity Millennium.
More about that later! I have still got some unpacking to do.
Yo my peeps! I hope you are all having an enjoyable week, whether you be working, vacationing, or just hanging out. I have been wearing out the soles of my shoes, crossing Paris this way and that while the sun shines. We are almost getting used to this California weather here- I can’t recall the last time I carried an umbrella with me.
Yesterday’s post of sunsets were from Monday night, but before I headed out into the sunset I walked all over the third arrondissement. I don’t remember a whole lot about it, but here are the pictures I took. Enjoy.
I started here- at the ever so glamorous Opera Garnier.
From there it’s all a blur.
No, not because I stopped here for champagne.
Thats all the visual aids I got. I do recall that I bought an amazing Vietnamese sandwich close to the Arts et Metiers metro station and then ate it at a little park on Rue Saint- Martin. If you ever are here and tire of French fare, try some of the wonderful Vietnamese restaurants.
I went home that afternoon and whipped up some Asparagus and Mushroom and Lemon Risotto, which was really good with a salad. I used this recipe from Martha Stewart and added mushrooms.
So clearly I was well fortified for my sunset walk.
By the time I dragged myself back into the apartment that night my Fit Bit was cheering me for having walked almost 10 miles that day. It’s kind of nice to get a pat on the back (or a buzz on the wrist) for a good day of exercise. Funny how you hardly even notice you are walking when everything is so Paris.
Thanks for stopping by and y’all come back now, ya hear?
The sun came out to stay Thursday morning, and I jumped on the 43 bus and headed west, across the peripherique, and into the leafy and luxurious neighborhood called Neuilly Sur Seine. My destination was the Bois de Boulogne, a 2000 acre public park on the western edge of the 16th arrondissement. More specifically, I wanted to explore the botanical garden called the Parc de Bagatelle, which is located in the Bois de Boulogne.
The Parc de Bagatelle and its château is the happy result of a wager between Queen Marie-Antoinette and her brother-in-law, the Count of Artois. The spunky queen bet the Count that he could not build the château in three months, and he won the wager. Today’s park is a melange of shady, forested trails, romantic water features, hidden staircases cut into stone, a Chinese pagoda, a château, noisy peacocks, and a world-renowned rose garden. I was fortunate to have timed my visit perfectly for the roses, which were amazingly beautiful.
The shady park was the perfect antidote to the warming day.
I was also happy to find a garden of peonies, which I love.
When my stomach told me it was time to go in search of lunch, I took the bus back into the center of Neuilly and strolled its shady sidewalks.
It was a very fun outing and I highly recommend a visit to the park. Even if the roses are not blooming, the grounds are a welcome respite from the busy-ness that is Paris.
And I know you all have been wondering how the Frizzled and Crispy Artichokes came out! I am happy to say they were a hit. The only mistake I made was not peeling enough of the outer leaves off before cooking them, leaving us with a few tough pieces we had to extricate from our mouths. Luckily it was just us, so there was no need for party manners.
Et voila! Frizzled and crispy!
Thanks for stopping by, mes amis! Things are heating up out there, so don’t forget your sunscreen. You don’t want to end up frizzled and crispy, do you?