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Colorful Mexican Kitchens Part V11!
Hi Guys,
Well let's continue the fun over here.
Here's the link back to Part V1 of this thread.
Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Part V1 of this thread.
Hiya!! I'm back! Complete with green cashmere shawl. I really like giving presents but don't usually get great ones. I love my green cashmere shawl! It's cuddly!
Great work on the further oven investigations. First, my apologies. When you first said "24" Ikea oven" I looked online and it said capacity 3.1 cubic inches, and I thought that sounded fine. It never occurred to me that the UK ones that looked just the same had a smaller capacity.
Next, I haven't gotten to use it yet, but I have a combination steam and convection/thermal oven in the new kitchen. I totally get why you like the idea of steaming. But you can steam in an ordinary oven using a bain marie (i.e., pan of water), which isn't far from your current bag of tricks. Having an oven that's only steam, like the Miele is more limiting than the small capacity. I also couldn't tell from the description if it had a water tank or if it was meant to be plumbed in.
BTW, my Gaggenau combi-steam has a similar capacity to those UK ovens so I really do know what I'm talking about, though the shape of the cavity might be different. It'll hold a chicken. So would have your funky old one. There's a tale that makes the rounds which probably came originally from Reader's Digest or something. The gist (told my own way, same punch line) was that a young woman always cut the ends of a roast before she cooked it. Her child asked way. "That's the way your granny taught me," she replied. So they asked Granny. "I cut off the ends so it would fit in the roasting pan." ... and therefore the oven.
I've posted this because the link goes to the base page, which is the stainless one, and I got confused. It's not as gosh darned cute as the one with the analog clock, but it's a very nice looking oven and should look fine in your kitchen. It does look like the glass is bigger, and that is black, but then so's the cooktop.
I'm glad you did the green paper test. Seeing it full sized in real life can't be beat. That's why we decided on the white in the first place, to sink into the cabinetry, but the green could have been great. When you push the edge you're out of the real of safety and down to a choice between soaring on the wings of fabulosity and falling into a chasm of hideousness.
Which brings us back to the doors. First they were going to be antique white, but it turned out to be a lighting effect of smart merchandisers who made the product look better than it was. You were the smart guy who took them back. Then they were rustic pine, but you sank into the doldrums of nearly abandoning the project because it wasn't coming together. Then they were going to be painted raised panel for a more upscale-rustic look. And now they're going to a charity shop?
Crazy thing about the painting. I thought the miracle products worked, but it sounds like these people know what they're talking about. I...
When you push the edge you're out of the real of safety and down to a choice between soaring on the wings of fabulosity and falling into a chasm of hideousness.
Welcome back plllog and, by the way, you look great with green cashmere. And consider yourself blessed that it was one of those gifts that you truly admire. By the way, if you were here, you'd be needing more than that shawl. Present conditions -12. Yuck.
The doors are an unfortunate obstacle. But here's some questions:
When we paint the doors, the white part, should that be sent out to be professionally sprayed or paint brushed? I can't imagine hand painting to look too... upscale?
The other point, wouldn't the soft Pine, when painted White, easily get banged up. Re-sink area, cooktop area, prep area, and hence the crisp lustre gone? If agreed, then we have no choice but to pitch them to charity. I say this because I believe when I quoted last year, it was about $800 to spray both sides white. In other words why sink $800 into wood that is destined to be possibly beaten up.
Wow I feel much better after hearing that your awe inspiring oven is almost same as the IKEA Euro capacities. And yes, my knuckles still hurt:) I checked them all today, the Germans that is. Neff, AEG, Miele, Gagg,all same capacities in the 24 inchers.
As for Mizz. White at IKEA Canada or UK, The specs are absolutely identical. I'm sure that North America has made some error in the cubic feet translation, but who knows. Yes, the IKEA Steam is a combi just like yours. And yes, I could cry that we don't have it here but probably more important, it's Stainless! Talavera+Mexican+Stainless=Yuck. You just never see that equation.
As for the differences between Mr. Black and Mizz. White
What Ms. White has over Mr. Black
True Convection -2 nd fan at back of oven
Pizza Baking-reproduces temp. of traditional wood burning oven. Nice!
Electronic Timer with lock function
Warm Keeping-keeps food warm for up to 5 hours.
Quadruple glazed door= with child-safe lock, for increased safety
And puzzling but true, the UK version has pyrolytic a.k.a self cleaning.
So Mr. Black is NO match for the svelte and curvy Miss. White
One other thing I noticed, Miss. White is entirely a glass surface including top control Panel. Looks muy lujo. Mr. Black is only Glass door, top panel thin painted black metal. Think dents. scrapes etc, when doing the intense WOK dance and other frantic activities.
Well, but Solman, my primary oven is a thirty inch full size proper oven which will hold a turkey. And I have a speed oven and warming drawer as well. I figured I was getting one and two halfs ovens instead of double ovens. I'm not at all sure that you're right about the UK ovens being the same capacity. I've seen a lot of variation. One might just have the wrong info posted, but I don't think that just because one brand is such that so is another. Call the UK ladies and be sure. It sounds like you like Ms. White however, so if you visit her locally and try her with your pots you'll know for sure.
Side note: in the above qoute, I had a typo. It should say "realm".
Other side note: My wits went begging the other day. Chanukah ends Saturday at sundown, not Friday. Friday night is the "eighth light".
Re pine. Yes, pine will get dinged. If what you're saying is that you really don't want it to be all that rustic, and you want tough, solid and sleek, instead, then, yes, you need different doors. But brushed on milk paint could look awesome, as we've discussed before, and if you''re going to replace them you can do it at any time. Do what makes you happy, but we can work with what you've already got. You can also ask here in a separate thread, as well as other places for more opinions on prepping pine for painting. There may be a different miracle primer that works. Maple is very hard and very close grained, but the question is whether you really need a Volvo or if the Subaru will really do you just as well.
Mas dulces por favor!
You'll be proud of me.
After some little. actually big long phone calls, I think I've finally got the scoop on the IKEA Wall Oven Telenovella.
First the call to the UK IKEA ladies. The hand measured size was:
45 cm W x 28 cm H x 40 cm D
Website stated volume=52 litres=1.84 Cubic feet
First call to the Canada IKEA. The hand measured size was:
45 cm W x 33 cm H x 40 cm D =2.1 Cubic feet
Second call to Canada IKEA. The hand measured size was:
45 cm W x 45.5 cm x 40 cm D = 3.1 cubic feet.
IKEA website stated volume = 3.1 cubic feet
Whirlpool prod. specs = 3.1 cubic feet
1. Lazy people take bad measurements
2. IKEA North America does have bigger ovens
3. IKEA Euro= 52 litres or 1.84 cubic ft.
IKEA USA = 88 litres or 3.1 cubic ft.
I would love to know why and what they are doing with the remaining space in the Euro production ovens? The physical unit is identical to ours. Is there extra insulation? I did notice that in the product description in UK the first point was "Energy Class A", which in UK must mean something good as in money saving efficiency . And an Eco function! So should we be concerned with that or just raw size?
Energy class: A.
Energy consumption with a standard load, eco function: 0.79 kWh.
Energy consumption with a standard load, pastry function: 0.92 kWh.
Maybe some Europeans manage because they have several ovens/combi devices in one kitchen. That gives more flexibility when preparing many different dishes rather than being at the mercy of one 30 inch. Plllog, that's a serious operation you're (I will be) running over there. You're oh so Euro.
So, does that truly leave the oven purchase to IKEA Canada which would point to the White Nutid since we can't go Black or Stainless? Or would you want the almost surely better efficiency of the Euro IKEA?
Next issue is size. Do we succumb to the size syndrome of the 30 incher, which is NOT true convection but could look better because of the Mural. Or say no, function is more important than size and get the 24 inch which is true convection. Missy you did quite the dance on the merits of the true convection thing.
Habitat For Humanity turned down the offer! They literally have piles of unsold ones.
Called Zinnser and they confirmed that their BIN Stain Block does block PINE Knots.
So now the options:
1. Satin opaque for upscale look. Brush painted vs shop sprayed.
2. We milk paint and hand brush
3. Milk paint now. If finish is not good, dispose of doors and buy Maple and spray paint at later date.
Do you think the grain revealing milk paint option will detract attention away from the counter/backsplash tiles?
I included option 3 above because if Option 1, spray painted was done, you still have soft wood doors that may not stay crisp looking.
Good work, señor! Now, I want you to especially note that the difference is in height. Yes, the difference might well be about advertising: In UK advertise energy rating, in North America advertise bigger volume.
Several kinds of Euro ranges are also notorious for tiny, short ovens that don't fit a whole bird. For the non-metric amongst us, the ovens are 17.75"x15.75", so figure max pan 17"x15". That's not big enough for a half sheet pan, which is 18"x13", but according to Google, some are 16"x12", which would fit.
Is a height of 11" adequate for you? I'm more concerned about you being able to cook a whole chicken, or [gasp!!!] a turkey. More height plus convection is what you need for cooking multiple dishes at once.
Do you really want the steam oven? The bloviage you posted is so much puffification which basically says learn to use our steam oven and you won't need to learn how to cook normally.
Do you want the cute clock?
I don't think the oven size is important for anything but what you want to cook in (even if it's just leftovers) and what you want to look at. You have a standard size cabinet unit, so replacing it wouldn't be a big issue if a bigger one were needed.
I don't think the grain and knots will detract from your tile, though, obviously it's a busier look. We chose the white for the color. You, however, seem to think that a sharp, glossy, sprayed smooth paint finish will be more the look you really want, and you seem not to want the rustic distressing that comes with the pine doors.
It does sound like you prefer option 1 by a long shot. It is what you'd decided on before. Even if Habitat won't take the pine doors, I'm sure there's a church or school or something similar which might be grateful for the donation, and more for the plain pine, than post option 3. But only you know how much you'd rather have maple vs. making the ones you have work for you. And if the Zinnser stuff really works, it might work on option 1.
One of the aversions I had to the Milkpaint was the lack of gloss or the glass-ceramic look of the rest of the tiles. But this White armoire in milkpaint seems to be pretty interesting and quite opaque without the plastic white look.
Farmhouse exclusively uses Old Fashioned Milk Paint products. Most painted surfaces have an undercoat sealer of poly and a topcoat sealer for long lasting finish.
Here is a link that might be useful: White
Hmm...those links didn't work. But all that poly with milk paint? Why? The point of milkpaint is its natural qualities.
If you want glossy opaque, with no dings and mars, you should have glossy opaque non-distressed.
What's your vision? What do you want? What are you willing to spend to get it?
Same on the oven.
The most practical thing is to use the doors and a Canadian oven, but will those get you what you want?
Love the dulces Professora! Cute. Very cute. (amazing dig, if I may say)
That 11 inch height in does seem tight. My exact words to the British lady "Oh, and you can get a chicken or Turkey inside there?" Oh yes love, her reply.
It does seem painfully low. Good oven mitts required, surely.
My theory. In order to receive class A status for UK and Germany, IKEA had Whirlpool reduce the cavity size. And obviously, the oven then consumes less power because it heats up faster and runs with less heat during a full cooking period.
The cute clock off white UK 24 incher means $900 after shipping and you still don't have an true induction oven. And it's smaller.
Yes the USA model consumes more hydro but how often will the oven be used, if most of the dancing is done above the counter?
But all that poly with milk paint? Why? The point of milkpaint is its natural qualities.
Agreed 100%. That was just taken from one of those links of companies that used milk paint.
The nice thing is looks like Milk paint can be transparent or Opaque, user's choice.
I just read this:
Mixing for the Regular Milk Painting or if you will be doing a Distressed Effect (in other words, a solid opaque colour) this requires 1 1/2 parts water to 1 part powder. For the lighter colours it is 1 1/4 parts water to 1 part powder. The mixture for the Wash Effect depends on the colour intensity you desire. Start with 3 parts water to 1 part powder, then sample it with some scrap wood. Continue adding water to lighten colour.
I'm not sure where this image came from but I seem to have it. This was the feel that I liked so I post it again. Bright, emphasis on a hand-painted tile, White cabinets, lots of light, looks upscale. Ditto on the Steel appliances I thought make the room look cold like steel.
Also your Jalisco Guadalahara apartment.
Looks like Milkpaint can still achieve these looks.
Yeah, that's how I feel about cars. My Jeep is 15 years old and is just over 40K miles. It's an old block V8 and I don't care. I get a tank every 4-6 weeks. And a Smart Car won't actually function for me.
As to "oh, yes, love", I don't think you can get a vertical chicken in there, and it would have to be a more petit turkey than I'm accustomed to, though they keep making smaller turkeys and larger chickens...
So... are we set on the white Nutid? Does it have the same interior specs as above?
Or are you considering the full sized Nutid? And, if so, that's another one you might want to check the measurements on, because the listed outer dimensions make it sound square, but the picture is a rectangle...
Yes, I would like 1 White 24 inch Nutid please. Yes that's with the extra 18 inches of headroom for the X-Mas Turkey. No it's OK we don't need the 30 incher, it's not true convection and we certainly don't want to be Euro Energy "Class E." We're already down to surely "C" with the 24 incher.
The White dishwasher is a cinch. (I like that word, has grade school written all over it)
The fridge ummm. it's Titanium a.k.a Stainless look but more grey (plastic)
Could just leave it since it's inside a pantry, off the floor, with only door showing. Or could try and sell used (but it's six months old and yes I had the exact same one in White :( This madness of selling the White one (was 5 years old) was only to get the Platinum as a closer match to Black Appliances since LG didn't have it in Black.
You agree that Stainless oven, and dishwasher would not be ideal? And Black is obviously out.
Well can always try another re-sale used on the Platinum fridge to bring back Miss. White. It's like buying back the used car that you so dearly loved and shouldn't have sold. Then you know it's true love.
Ever since I waved the White Kitchen flag idea, everyone I knew balked at the idea except my Ex Ms. Wonderful whose brainchild the whole White Yellow Talavera concept was in the first place ( note I added the Cobalt blue edge into the picture-hope it was a plus). Of all the critics, none actually lived in this house nor had absolutely any real contact with true Mexican culture. The Ex spent well, years there.
Critic 1 - My Sister who said the IKEA White Lindingo are disgustingly plastic and toothpaste White and will get very dirty when cooking. She was right.
Critic 2- The local BM Paintstore Lady. A Mexican Kitchen should never be White. But if White, it should be distressed. Too contrived and obvious.
Critic 3- Carpenter, White should be distressed. Same as above.
The common denominator including ALL our UCMKF members opinion that if not handled carefully in shade and finish, White can be an ugly duckling. Hence our fantastic green panel and edge highlights and the off white color.
Attraction to Milkpaint- Inexpensive and truly a unique look, in step with the house itself. Can be opaque, so can continue along the same path as our original plan or bring the grain element in. Also, seems quite easy to do by hand and not wasting $800 to have sprayed outside.
Do we give up Green if milk painted or same winning formula?
Further to the above.
Forgot to add my Father's opinion because he just wanted the house down, as in
" Just demolish the whole thing and build a "proper" new modern house".
Therefore, no specific kitchen opinion was given;)
Actually be interested to see his face on completion day.
Lucky I saved these gems from our wonderful gold-digger Peanut. Wonder if the Cat's calling the X-Mas dinner shots this year or, at the least, going to be in charge of the water supply. Thank you again Peanut and we miss you.
Two good looking examples of milk paint. One opaque and one transparent, but both nice and not too shiny...and plastic. Makes sense that if the cabinets, which are much greater surface area than the splash tiles, are shiny they would overpower.
Solman, I think the UCMKF (who seem to have decamped) and the marvelous ex- all understand. Stop listening to the rest. As to the milk paint, yes! You can do it yourself, and use their own or reccomended primer, and go with distressed in place cabinets. If you like that. It would use what you have, and paint that doesn't kill you or the planet. And of course you can do the green. If they don't have the right color you can get regular mineral pigments put into milkpaint base. If that'll make you happy. If the distressed look isn't for you and you want slick and glossy go for the pro sprayed maple. What do YOU want?
I'm definitely into the using what we have. Just makes sense. The money is spent, the style is nice and they are in front of you right now. And who knows, I may like the slightly dinged look;" If" they get dinged, by a single man who is very careful. It's not like I have a 2 year old driving his plastic 3 wheeler into the cupboards everyday.
And should I feel that the doors need to be more perfect some day, then it's Maple time +$800 spraying.
Done. Milk it is.
Now Doc, Opaque vs slightly transparent? Or looks like with milk paint, you water down to your liking. It's not either or but how opaque you want to go.
Notice I haven't spilled the beans on the splash yet, but my pondered thoughts thus far. My finalists are The Lace Mantilla from California and the Hopping Frog. Walleyed Joe just feels too powerful for the Fruit Basket.
The Mantilla is nice, very nice, but means a purchase of a lot more Guadalaharas. Not so bad but worse is that the equal numbers of Yellows, which I have on hand, would be wasted. A shame.
There is enough for the Froggie.
Not sure if that is good reasoning and do you like the Froggie or is he too weak?
Missy- You're not caught up in the X-Mas shopping hoopla are you?
Do you still have the 8C heatwave? I've literally been hiding inside here for the past 48 hours from the -16 or whatever. Good thing I like this house and didn't send the demolition crews in :-) And if I did, at least I wouldn't have thought twice about putting in fully venting ducts in the "proper new house" Kitchen.
plllog- when I went out yesterday and stopped at that kitchen place, they sold Grey soapstone sinks and counters. It was stunning. First time I saw it. I couldn't believe it.... Next house? Whoops, bad joke.
Oh same place, the guy asked me about ventilation and I told him my plan of the recirculating charcoal filter and he said it was basically useless. Takes hours of running the fan to remove odors and no chance of removing heat and steam. For carving a six inch hole in the brick at the side of the house he thought nothing of it.! His feeling, it's expected.
So, I'll go to Niagara on The Lake, 20 minutes from here and, yes, Canada's Most Beautiful Historic Town, and see what the high rollers are doing about venting their kitchens. Those are all serious million dollar Heritage beauties and so if it's good enough for them, maybe it's good enough for my humble little abode.
Maybe the mindset that no one else dared to drill the brick and vent out properly so why should I is bad considering no one else ever put a REAL decent Kitchen in here in 100 years and I am doing that; so why not go all the way? See. I'm coming over to your side now.
Yep. Big family backsplash tomorrow, as stated. Grotty day today. Need courage to get out of bed and finish wrapping books and stuff for the little ones.
I think froggy will be fine if that's what you have the tile for. And I think you're wise to work with what you've got, including the basic exchange Canadian oven. And the vent outside. There should be a good cover for it that looks nice and keeps the house heat in while taking the cooking effluent out. The historic homes probably have chimneys which they've adapted so there might not be much to see.
Hi, looks like lots of decisions are being made. :o)
If you're seriously thinking of ditching the pine doors (sorry I just skimmed back through the posts), it sure wouldn't hurt to try staining and/or milk painting them first. I still think that a dark(ish) stain would look lovely in your kitchen. (I also know all about dark kitchens, so understand the desire for white) Have you thought of milk painting the bottom doors the wonderful green in the pic you posted, and maybe doing the top ones white? It might be a different option. Zinsser products are wonderful - I've used their 'bulls eye 123' to prime the knotty pine ceiling in my room prior to painting.
Yes, we are still basking in very nice warm temps. I don't think it's going to last terribly long, but we are sure enjoying it while it's here. :o)
Much fun and happiness was had, and much food as well. This year there was warm spiced pumpkin dip which was SOOOOOOO good. And this warm chocolate bread pudding that was all gooey and eggy and not very bread. I licked the spoon from putting away the pepper beef and it was really good too (I ate the chicken, and lots of salad). We used to cook for this one ourselves, but my mother threw in the towel about 10 years ago, but the caterer does things so that they're more like home than her other parties.
Missy, it's nice and warm for the moment here too! But I received another cuddly scarf today. I don't currently have heat (long story) so all these cuddly things will come in handy...
I hope everyone else is having a great weekend. And I've been holding a special thought for Marthavila and her sister.
A list for Missy:
Decided (sort of):
Yellow Talavera counters, cobalt v-cap, Froggy on the stepping stones Guadalajara tiles in yellow backsplash, fruit basket over stove.
Pine raised panel doors to be hand brushed on milk painted in an opacity to be determined at the time through testing. Green edges to the doors and panels. To be distressed in place, gradually, by careful adult.
Black Ikea induction cooktop from UK
White Ikea oven (different style) exchanged for current black one within Canada
18" white dishwasher (or possibly panelled)
Gray fridge in pantry (it'll be fine as is--it stands on its own so may as well have its own character)
Probably white cast iron sink for its basic quality and the ability to see it and like it in person before purchase
Price Pfister Portland faucet in tuscan brozne
Similar color (bronze family) knobs, TBA, but probably a simple round with rings
Red ceramic chili ristas flanking sink window
Plaster custom hood with convertable liner, coming around to the idea that making a hole in the bricks is a good thing for a kitchen where carne asada might be in a grill pan on the stove
Nickel free pots in interesting enamelled colors, but not lemon green as it clashes with the fruit basket.
Terra cotta look floors are already in.
Ivory walls, depending on outcome of painting cabinets
Sunflower Talavera water jug on stand
Old wainscotting to be carefully stored in basement for future restoration by new owner who thinks current owner is crazy
No decision yet on treatment for the soffits and ceiling
No decision for sure about creating a niche for the water jug
No decision yet on chair rail, stencil, tile or none
So, Solman, what's up with the lighting?
Wow welcome back plllog, sounds like you had some good family fun with serious catering and all. Yummy.
Now you haven't told us about the new stablemate for your cuddly Green Cashmere. Is he also the same species and what color? I think you need that nice burnt Pumpkin orange color. Speaking of warm and cuddly, my Sister gave me a Pashmina in that Orangeish color which I just LOVE. Hard to describe but it's just so smooth and warm and that's it, compact. I guess cuddly too :)
By the way, you have heating in California? I thought that was a misprint.
I ventured out yesterday into Mallarama and joined the throngs of X-Mas guilt fillers, as in people feeling the obligation to fill shopping bags full of gifts.
As for me, I bought a 100 gram bag of Almonds from the Bulk store. But I did browse in my favorite place, Teaoupia the tea shop and admired the lovely Japanese Tetsubins as I'm a real tea lover. Funny thing is they were all so beautiful that I just left them there in admiration. The lady beside me just said, yes I'll take 4 of those. Well talk about volume buying. But I enjoyed the interlude of comedy.
Then I was off to Sears looking at yes, 18 inch Diswashers. Saw the white one and growled at the thought of that piece of White plastic being in my kitchen. But worse was when I came home and looked at the IKEA UK 18 incher. Stunning, allows you to put any door panel, Energy Class A, buttons conveniently located on top, Eco mode, and only 279 pounds. Why on earth
can't we have that here? AEG has one here at $1,200, cheapest I've seen to date. Bosch is the other at $1,500. Crazy price but boy looks nice to hide away behind you door style.
Oh, did I mention that I stopped in at the Kohler Design Centre?
Really saw the Cobalt and it was really off the samples that I brought. They all said so in the shop. Kohler calls it Iron Cobalt and it's a strange glowing type color. Now they had another called just Cobalt, perfect dead on to the Mexican V-Cap but...not available in Kitchen sinks, just bathroom.
Also, I mentioned to the lady that I know Cast iron can chip in a mishap and she laughed, picked up a serious heavy Steel Casserole fry pan and literally threw it into the double bowl Kohler sink and said, oh yeah! Looks like Kohler uses a lot of layers of Enamel or something. Maybe American standard is the one that will chip as they so proudly advertise "Our revolutionary Americast is half the weight of other cast iron sinks".
The white actually was a good white, like yours plllog ;)
Oh, almost forgot. When she saw the tile, she said we should look at the Kohler design series which was just like many different Mexican tiles, like our last plan so I almost started the celebration call. Then she checked price and it was $4,500. Celebration was promptly terminated.
Basically, there is just 2 options now. A tile in white 30 inch with faucet deck and four hole drilling or the 18 x 24 inch drop in without faucet...
Well maybe the IKEA UK lady on cooking a bird in the 1.9 cu ft. oven was right after all.
Look what I found!
Page 9 of the AEG Brochure on the steam oven which is a whopping 1.1 cubic ft. or 31 litres.
Go figure, maybe the Europeans do have life all figured out.
Here is a link that might be useful: Steam Oven
LOL! I wasn't really concentrating and my brain imagined a 100 lb. bag of almonds! Even with shells that's a lot of almonds. Not the handful you actually obtained ;)
I haven't taken the new cuddleupmkins out of the box yet. It does fit with your pumpkin idea, but is more cream and shades of earth, plaid or something. It's probably acrylic. The green cashmere is really cuddly. About six times as thick as pashmina.
Will a UK dishwasher work here? As to the price difference, it's what the market will bear. North Americans think dishwashers and clothes dryers are absolutely necessary. The Euro energy A thing probably means that it doesn't heat water or have a drying cycle, but it sounds lots prettier! Do you know anyone coming over who can bring it as baggage for you?
Re cast iron chipping: The old porcelain on cast iron could chip or break especially around the rim, but it was really rare. The old paint style enamel on cast iron chipped regularly. The current Kohler finish is a glass enamel that they change from the porcelain for because it fires at a higher temperature and is impervious to staining and exceedingly hard to chip. It can be done, but as you've seen it takes skill. :) I loved the feel of porcelain and would have preferred it, because the glass enamel just isn't as lovely. But then, it isn't porous at all so never needs bleaching.
Re "design chic", true, but it's a lot easier to clean around the faucet if there's a deck.
plllog, as you can see, I'm in serious research mode tonight striving to complete my degree- Masters of Wall Ovens LOL!
And in that quest came up with this oddball. It is another White wall oven at our beloved IKEA Canada from the Musmig series, a series which mysteriously is non existent in IKEA Europe. Hmm. This could suggest that the latest and greatest is what Europe kept and ditched Musmig before North America has.
It does have just one thing more than the all NEW Nutid. Strange name, sounds like a specialty Cat Veterinarian office. It has convection broil. if that means anything. And it's $100 less than Nutid. Also TRUE European convection.
What's your feeling on this baby?
Here is a link that might be useful: Miss. White's Sister
Oh, forgot to add. Comparing them, it seems like the Mumig has some extra Black crayon coloring on the perimeter of the glass than Nutid, which could mean more black to stand out. Also, the Mumig looks more..playful Fisher Price like, the Nutid much more the Laura Ashley upscale flare with the steel handles and knobs. By the way, if I remember correctly, one or both has the knobs that push in, if desired, which is so cool.
In the long run, $100 isn't worth fussing about here. Not compared to some of the other things you're willing to spend on. Yeah, the Nutid is nicer looking. They're both dinky. If the messymoggy has features you like better it looks just fine. The cutest one is the one with the dial, but the Nutid looks the most like a real oven. Up to you.
Hello all. Back home again and reconnected. Part VII! Managed to read most of the missed postings. Thanks to plllog for the update list. Looks like great decisions so far.
IMO, milk paint and pine were made for each other. Milk paint looks good hand brushed and the matte finish will work great with the more rustic tiles. Even if you don't do a rustic finish, milk paint will wear naturally anyway.
Made two trips to IKEA while in Houston as we don't have one here. Love the oven with the clock, but it is small inside. Of course, one of the main reasons for my kitchen update is to get a bigger oven. You have to decide what works based on how you work in the kitchen.
We finally got the water heater installed and finished up some other projects.
The green cashmere wrap sounds very nice, plllog. I lived in Southern California for a while and know it gets quite chilly there at night, especially this time of year.
We're looking forward to a relaxing holiday week.
plllog - Almost forgot the barbeque place. That sounds like Pappas, they use cadet blue a lot. The line at their south of downtown location does wrap around the building at lunch time. The Pappas family has a number of restaurants around town.
So you even know about the "where's downtown" dilemma Houstonians have when explaining their city to visitors. I once drove a friend through the Post Oak (Uptown) area and then mentioned I would show her downtown next. Of course she said "I thought we were downtown." Nope, Downtown is the one with the really tall buildings.
Solman - no way would the Tamales in Houston beat San Antonio, the original home of Tex-Mex.
Stef-we missed you and glad to have you back. It's great that you got lots done in Houston, congratulations. And thanks for looking at my (was) cute oven with the clock. Now you understand what all the fuss was about. I noticed you mentioned how "small" it was. Well, they do actually have the same model as a 30 incher in Black and without a clock-oh and no convection. Yes I was going to bring the little guy with clock and White from the UK but it is even smaller in the UK. So, we opted for the HUGE American 24 incher LOL!
Regarding my cooking habits, not sure if you remember Peanut's 50's style White Moffat Range, but that's the size of oven I had for the past 10 years and it was like 16x16 Max. So, maybe the 24 incher will seem huge to me.
Oh, by the way, did you eat in the IKEA Restaurant while there? I'm really fond of this round new Veggie Patty side made of Potato and Broccoli. Yum Yum. It's oh so Euro. I notice when I'm in Germany all the food is quite creamy, and "potatoey" (sounds good). Like this IKEA thing.
And thanks for saving me on the Tamales. As you saw I was quite concerned that maybe Houston is the place. Which means we can just keep you as Americas Tamale Central. Unless our California Chapter wishes to contest.
I can't really get involved because as you know, I'm in love with Amy's Tamales LOL! Not like I have a choice with any other.
plllog- your cuddly little Green cashmere is really rocking the boat here you know. Is this like a subliminal message that maybe deep inside what you really want is to test it's mettle in the crisp fresh air of the Canadian Rockies, at Minus 25? Be honest, have I read your mind?
Stef- Oh, forgot to mention, while you were away something very nice happened. My Professora gave me some really cute dulces. On the count of being good and doing my homework and stuff. I think she saw Rendition 38 in my binder and felt sorry for me.
plllog- Any new fiestas planned for this week? I mean you've been on a pretty good roll lately, Fiestas In San Juan last weekend, Hanukkah this weekend....
I'm trying to figure out your next outing.
The green cashmere, cuddly though it may be, is no match for the cold of the Canadian Rockies this time of year. It is beautiful there, we just got a note from friends with photos of their visit to Athabasca Glacier in Alberta, and the blue ice is just beautiful. They are wearing serious cold weather gear in the summer, though.
Ikea has a veggie pattie? We did have lunch, but did not see that choice. I will look for it next time, we do enjoy the restaurant there. We've been using Ikea lights for the house there. You can't beat the $5.95 price for a simple ceiling light.
There must be a source for real Tamales somewhere around there, but it might take looking for a Latino market.
Steff, I'm thinking maybe the USA IKEA doesn't have those gems. I know marketers often vary the product mix for Canada as we tend to be closer to Euro values and trends. Read as: more receptive.
And that blue ice sounds nice. I actually have briefly pondered going to Antarctica. To see the Penguins would be to die for. Now I've watched a documentary on getting there and the boat ride is absolutely gut wrenching, cookie tossing, stuff of nightmares. But once there, it is without description. Kayaking in the waters around giant Glacier Islands. Waddling Pinguinos.
So, Solman, what's up with the lighting?
I just noticed I missed something. Called the USA Lowe's ladies last week and was told that the new line of LED under counter strip lighting is not in yet. Which reminds me, I'll have to get rid of the $300 worth of Xenon strips back to Lowe's in Canada.
Well, I'm getting all psyched for our next chapter- Things Are Looking Up. a.k.a Soffitmania.
Steff, Welcome back!! Thanks for the name of the BBQ place! We don't have downtowns here either, as you know. L.A. has a place called "Downtown" where tall buildings and the mayor are, but no one goes there. Smaller cities have civic centers, but they're also not where people go. In Houston, all I know is the George R Brown. :-)
Re tamales, no contest. As I mentioned, a lot of ours are Salvadoran, anyway. But our best tamale makers come from elsewhere. San Antonio wins!
You know, all this "we're more euro" thing, might be true when you compare your area with middle America, but large swaths of this country are very cosmopolitan (and I'm not talking sweet cocktails).
Re the Rockies: I'm allergic to Banff. My cuddly green cashmere shawl is about right for high summer in that neighborhood, but you won't catch it, or me, there, because I'm allergic to Banff. It's not just the glacier that's blue. Last I saw the Athabasca River, it was turquoise blue too. It's some mineral, I think. Very cool, and weird too.
It's cold and yucky here, and yes we have heat, but I don't have it on because it was making me sick, and it's an impossible time to get it fixed, but luckily it hasn't been very cold, though it's trying to rain right now (let the headaches begin...) Today, however, I wore Teddy. It's my long, hooded coat made of teddy bear fur. It's also cuddly, but more thermal than weighty warm, so it's good over warm clothes; doesn't get overheated.
Re fiestas: I skipped one yesterday because I didn't feel well--probably a hold over from the downstairs heater. Tomorrow is a mini-fiesta, with another big one on Thursday. But yesterday and today we were saying Felix Dies Natalis Solis Invicti.
Oh my, plllog, sorry to hear you're under the weather. Blasted heat or should I say cold. That explains your reach for that Green cuddly. You see, we can relate to your temp. change downer. Here in the semi Glacier zone, there are times that the furnace fails in the middle of the night and the subsequent drop in temperature means a complete body disorienting; sniffles, shakes, etc. upon waking up. So, even though you are the California beach culture I guess it's the same old suffering when your house temperature is suddenly disrupted. Pity you as the Brits say.
I'm just pulling your leg on the heat stuff. I remember when I was in San Jose, Costa Rica, where I'm sure it rains 365 days a year and is gloomy and cloudy and misty and yucky. Anyways, in my Hotel room which was a damp, musty, moldy, disgusting pit, I was freezing to the bone. So, cold+damp = miserable. That's why I would also never live in London, England. A San Jose clone.
Anyways, plllog, grab your little Green cuddly please because we've got a reservation at the McCafe for a nice, warm, Mochacino with cream. Stef's waiting in the car and Missy's already there. Enjoy!
HIJACK!!!!! Taking you all away from overpriced, oversweet milk drinks, and to the Coffee Company within smelling range of the ocean. You'll even think it's warm out! The weatherman said, "It won't be warm, but warmer..."
Solman, your description of San Jose sounds like my father's description of Louisiana. Always damp, never freezing, didn't matter if a body's coat were off or on, always chilled to the bone.
Please don't go:)
It's Soffit time!
I just got in from Minus 16, actually I took a voluntary walk to the bank as in forced exercise. My lungs feel... fresh. No doubt the warm Apple Cider upon arrival helped.
Missy thanks for peeking in. Plllog, the Coffee Company was a tad better than our McCafe, I'll give you that. Actually I was thinking fish filet over coffee after smelling the ocean.
Plllog- We hope you"re feeling better...
Where were we? Oh yes things were looking up, as in soffits.
So, maybe we need a list of the candidates:
The painted sky look from Stef's SA Tex Mex fav.
Tex's various colored themes.
Traditional Wood crown mouldings painted White like ceiling
Hi guys,
I've been paying attention the last few days during Greyness that the "cafe au lait" type color that you mentioned plllog, is a little um dull. Perhaps a bit more real white would be brighter/snappier.
Going back to the Plllog Guadalahra Condo and my little Yellow tile bathroom, they all have pretty White Whites.
Hope I'm thinking in the right light, so to speak.
B b b b but....where do the crown moldings go??? You have plain cabinets a distance under plain soffits. A little molding for a finish on top would be okay, but would make it harder to clean the tops of the cabinets. If you had none you could put tchotchkarai up there for some authentically rustic clutter. Or baskets with extra storage. Or have Carpenter frame it out and put some little doors for upscale storage.
Something you can do with a short little molding is put in some indirect lighting to bounce off the soffit and glow. It'll be too closed in to light up the kitchen, but could give you some warmth and drama. Marine style rope lighting could work. You can do that in the toekicks as well.
OR you could have Carpenter plaster from the ceiling on down to the cabinets and create a cove that would be perfect for the latitude of your kitchen but look funky in your house. Crown up to the soffit might look funny. Crown up to the soffit and between the soffit and the ceiling would be overpowering.
Re the color, I wouldn't do anything on the cabinets before seeing the oven and DW. You need to make those blend.
The wall color can be tweaked. You can add a tiny bit of color to warm it up and make the cabinets pop. That's the last thing to decide, though it's good to have a plan.
The authentic kind of white is generally a form of whitewash over rough plaster or adobe. It has a brownish base and is warmer than the kind of gray color you're not liking. They're off whites though. True white is what you returned to Ikea. Your cabinets might need to be a little truer depending on the oven color. They don't have to be the same color as the oven, but you want them to look good together. A green pinstripe around the oven will make this easier, and fit with your style.
Re the soffits and ceiling, I wouldn't do too much unless you wanted to go all out casa del taco kitschapalooza. An alternative might be to do something as intense but not quite as kitsch, like use one of those yellow ochers you like, and maybe even the Venetian plaster, but just in the middle, between the soffits.
Thanks for the good wishes. We have wind. I took a nice, long nap. Naps are good.
Good morning! We're having a cloudy day and then the cold hits. Glad I don't have to walk around in -16 weather.
I went back to review your photos to see the soffit/cabinet details and found that the thread is no longer available. Can you post a couple of them again, please? Pretty please?
As plllog said, the white in the photos from Mexico may look white, but it isn't really stark white. Limewash is readily available and would give you an authentic look.
"for some authentically rustic clutter"
plllog, really how do you come up with these knee slappers? Well that was a welcome wake up read.
Houston we have a problem... communication short circuit.
Sorry plllog, I understand your confusion now. I used the name crown moulding but in reference to the moulding attached to the ceiling inside the soffits, not crown mouldings above cabinets. Should we have those there and painted?
Steff, good morning, wow you were on the page early, in comparison to our not so morning Lark. Sweet that she has discovered naps. Cat naps a.k.a siesta.
Yeah, my throat is a little tender from that silly walk that I took but somehow it made me feel like this:
Here is a link that might be useful: This
Stef- You're right!
They exterminated all our hard earned labor and excitement and photos!
So, lucky I had these tucked inside my coat."Psssssst you wanna buy a watch...cheap?"
These photos of the ceiling show what's there now. Notice the wood crown moulding painted white. The Carpenter wanted thicker more substantial crown that he bought to put in place of the skinny "Builders Grade" one there now.
Stef- You're right!
They exterminated all our hard earned labor and excitement and photos!
So, lucky I had these tucked inside my coat."Psssssst you wanna buy a watch...cheap?"
These photos of the ceiling show what's there now. Notice the wood crown moulding painted white. The Carpenter wanted thicker more substantial crown that he bought to put in place of the skinny "Builders Grade" one there now.
I thought you had said that the silly crown inside the soffits was coming down.
Yes. But Carpenter wanted to take the one you see in the photo down and put a thicker more muscular one there instead. He said it will look silly and bare without anything up there.
And we say... nothing up there in the corners like photo below? Like it was prior to putting up the skinny Crowns.
Good afternoon, thanks for posting those photos. It really helps to refer back to them. The Welland canal is pretty, but looks cold. We are at 20C and excellent weather for running errands today.
Lots of holiday fun here. I have been reading a British recipe and have learned that a "hob" is a cooktop. Not only do we have to decipher the measurements and ingredients, but the instructions as well. "Mix on the hob." Huh? What language barrier?
But I can take it because I'm... well you know ;)
No, what? Crazy? Canadian?
Yes, yes, to above picture. No crown molding inside of soffit. Much much better. I don't care if it's wimpy or macho, it looks dumb.
Does the molding go well with the cabinets? You could use it on them maybe...
LOL! Steff, ain't British fun? Actually, a hob is a shelf ledge inside of a big fireplace where things were put to stay warm (i.e., pre-tech warming drawer). It became a name for a hot plate in the early-mid 20th C., which was often used for making tea in places with kitchens or fireplaces. I was really confused when I first saw the word used with built-in appliances, because some, especially induction, units were called "4 hob", which I understood as having four elements, i.e., hotplates, but then on others "hob" is used to mean a whole multi-element cooktop.
There are some real humdingers like when a Brit offers to knock you up, or when an American serves peach cobblers. :-D
ain't language grand? It's so odd that the same word in the 'same' language can have so many different meanings. I really pity anyone that has to learn English as a second language. I don't think that I could.
Lovely pic of the canal! :o) Isn't it usually frozen solid? I always thought that's where people skated in the winter.
Thanks for the update list, and the pics.
Steff, I'm totally jealous of your 20 degrees!!! I am so stinking tired of winter, and it's really only begun here. By the end of Feb, I'll be really needing some heat.
Steff, I'm totally jealous of your 20 degrees!!! I am so stinking tired of winter, and it's really only begun here. By the end of Feb, I'll be really needing some heat.
Poor prairie, you think you're sick of Winter? Just have a word with Bobby Bahama sitting right here.
Oh missy, you're thinking of the Rideau Canal in Ottawa where everyone skates on. Yup that;s where the Ex Ms. Wonderful has moved to and all the power to anyone living there or Quebec because you couldn't pay me to live in that REALLY bitter Winter that they always have. Oh did I forget Montreal?
Today was -20, really, really bad.
plllog better get that kitchen ready because I've already bought the plane ticket to LAX. And the Cat naps sure don't help our progress. Hint hint.
Steff, I'm totally jealous of your 20 degrees!!! I am so stinking tired of winter, and it's really only begun here. By the end of Feb, I'll be really needing some heat.
Poor prairie, you think you're sick of Winter? Just have a word with Bobby Bahama sitting right here.
Oh missy, you're thinking of the Rideau Canal in Ottawa where everyone skates on. Yup that;s where the Ex Ms. Wonderful has moved to and all the power to anyone living there or Quebec because you couldn't pay me to live in that REALLY bitter Winter that they always have. Oh did I forget Montreal?
Today was -20, really, really bad.
plllog better get that kitchen ready because I've already bought the plane ticket to LAX. And the Cat naps sure don't help our progress. Hint hint.
These British lasses want my soffit in the buff!
My my, a little naughty aren't we?
Here is a link that might be useful: A Little Naughty
For our Americans in crowd, have you seen these little cuties?
Would you prefer these to those silly little induction hobs? Go on, take a peek.
We have them in colors too you know.
I mean you sure a Mexican Kitchen would look proper with that Star Trek induction stuff of yours?
You know the Canadian shops have these things in Black.
Here is a link that might be useful: Go On Take A Peek
Goofy looking. Don't they realize what a pain those raised grates are?? Try having the delicate little sauce you've been nurturing fall off the grate and splash all over everything. No more sauce! Ugh.
Yes, you have to clean the "bowl" part, but that's a lot easier than having your pot fall off!!
Well while likely all of us are racing around to but that forgotten Eggnog, the cream cheese for the smoked Salmon or just some more Navels for the fruit basket, I just have this to say:
Here is a link that might be useful: I Have this to say!
Well while likely all of us are racing around to buy that forgotten Eggnog, the cream cheese for the smoked Salmon or just some more Navels for the fruit basket, I just have this to say:
Here is a link that might be useful: I Have This To Say!
pssst plllog....
Don't tell stef, missy and Marthavila about my rustic Mexican X-Mas eve lunch.
.... wonder what they're all having? (see if you can find out OK)
Yo- Una Papa del orno de Wendy's con frijoles de Heinz. Es la comida de los campesinos que no tienan cocinas.
Eeeeek!! Señor, the spelling! Thank goodness for Google. "Horno". "Guadalajara". You'll double post for a typo but then confuse the heck out of me. My big confusion comes that it's usually patata asada or, for a twice baked or stuffed potato, patata al horno. Food language is weird.
Don't you have any friends in your small town to save you from the fast food?
disculpame señorita,
La comidas siempre estan difficil.
plllog- what are you up to in the California Beach scene today? Things got A LOT better since lunch time here. That Wendy's Baked Potato with Heinz Chilli Beans is one of my claims to fast food fame. Quick, nutritious, tasty, filling, low fat, and completely grease free. I used to eat Wendy's Chilli, but as an almost Vegetarian, I'll pass thanks.
Now tonight's light dinner was quite nice actually. Wild Canadian Smoked Sockeye Salmon with Garlic Dill cream cheese on Wasa Bread. The trimmings were Artichoke hearts, fresh Green and Black Kalamata olives, steamed Broccoli and a glass of Argentina Malbec. Desert will be 2009's first glass of Rum and Eggnog.
As for the X-Mas plans, I almost booked a quick flight to Mexico City for a surprise visit to my (like family) Mexican friends, where I have spent many a past X-Mas and really the best ones of my entire life. But yesterday the call came from my dear 70 year old Aunt who was so excited to see me that I couldn't possibly say no. Our family does not really celebrate X-Mas so I will get together for dinner and fun on Saturday with my Aunt.
Prairie----> THANK YOU for the lovely X-Mas card!
Stef-Hope you are really having a great time in SA
plllog- I KNOW you will surprise us
Marthavila- Our thoughts are with you and your Sister and please drive safe
Tex-We miss you
And to all the UCMKF Association, MERRY X-MAS!
Here is a link that might be useful: Feliz Navidad
No entiendo. What am I supposed to be surprising you with?
I'm not up. Just wondering why I'm awake.
Solman, aunts are nice. I'm getting close to auntless and it's very sad. It's very nice that you stayed to be with yours rather than running off to the sun.
A lovely Christmas to everybody!
No entiendo. What am I supposed to be surprising you with?
I'm not up. Just wondering why I'm awake.
Solman, aunts are nice. I'm getting close to auntless and it's very sad. It's very nice that you stayed to be with yours rather than running off to the sun.
A lovely Christmas to everybody!
plllog- sorry to hear about your aunt's condition and hope it will become better.
My Aunt is something special because she actually raised me, along with my grandmother, from childhood. So, when I'm with her she vividly recounts every act of my childhood behavior and tells me how crazy I was.
But about a year ago she said something to me that really shook me. She said that every time we are together, she will tell me everything about our family and what has happened over the past 70 years; because after she dies, there is no way I can ever know about all the relevant events. And every time I leave her apartment, I always fear that it may have been the last time that I see her.
Yes, LOVE your Auntie.
No entiendo. What am I supposed to be surprising you with?
Tu Comida!
Now on the X-Mas topic. Something interesting finally happened. For many years, I always resented the undue pressure that this day resulted in. Racing to supermarkets, Malls, etc. That you SHOULD be so happy and everything you do be so extraordinary on this ONE day etc. It's a lot of pressure. Basically like taking a Red Bull energy overdose. And this year no such foolishness and I quite enjoyed the day without the Red Bull spike. Actually I find living life to the fullest equally everyday much more enjoyable than the one day spike. It's 364 days of more enjoyment, simple mathematics.
Hoy es Navidad. ¿Dónde están las piñatas?
It's easy to make piñatas. First make a form out of newspaper or balloons, then cover it with papier mâché--not too thick if you want it to break. When it's dry, add twists of colored tissue paper for a fluffy one, or just paint with poster paint. Don't forget to leave a flap on top so you can fill it! (That's one of the reasons for using the tissue--it hides the hole!)
Solman, Good for you on the philosophy! There is no such thing as a perfect day. The perfect moments aren't something we can plan for or buy at the mall. I've heard any number of people wonder at the "it's Christmas" attitude that seems to say that we should have "good will toward men" only on Christmas, and it's okay to be awful the rest of the year. That's certainly not the point of the holiday, or the religion. I've heard tell of people being moved to extraordinary acts of bravery or kindness because they considered it their Christian duty to act. Those are the people I think of on Christmas, not the ones who are mean to others so that their own holidays can be "perfect".
I'm glad you're having such a nice holiday. Even if la profesora has been marking your paper. But then today has been my day to catch up on editing so I can't help it. ;-)
Hi, everyone. Decided to check in for a little downtime. Thanks for all your good holiday wishes.
Guess what I got for Christmas?
Fun, eh? It's cold today, but will ride it when it warms up.
Solman - We have always tried to embrace the imperfections of special days that make them even more meaningful. I enjoy cooking special meals for holidays so that's what I do. There have been times when I wasn't into it and so we just do what we feel motivated to do. No guilt, no stress and plenty of time to relax.
Enjoy your time with your aunt and I hope you take notes to help remember everything.
Oooh! Steff, you got a millipede? Fishing bobbers? Sunglasses? [hee] What a great present!! Tell us all about it!
Was this a fancy year? Or a whatever? What did you make?
I have no kitchen, so I have no culinary excitement to share with Solman, unless you count the it's-not-Pappas bbq brisket from TJ's.
It's a bicycle! Not a really big year, although we did retire from full time work. We love to ride the hills around our home, but I've had to give up riding my unisex bike. This women's model has a lower bar for easier on and off. It's just fun because I haven't gotten a bicycle as a gift for many years.
Now the food..
Posole is the traditional Christmas eve dinner around here, but I switched that to Tortilla Soup years ago because we like it much better. It's different every year. I used to add Trader Joe's roasted corn, but we don't have a TJ's here so I used regular corn, Hatch chiles, fire roasted tomatoes, and leftover turkey. I use corn masa to thicken it instead of the immersion blender. I fried up the red tortilla strips as a garnish.
Today we had Glazed Ham, Scalloped Potatoes with (really good) Parmesan, Creamed Spinach, and Cranberry Chutney. Dessert was Raspberry Trifle (made "on the hob").
This year was all about simple, but really good, and I didn't have to cut the ends off the ham to fit the oven. lol...
ROTFL!!! Good oven!
Sounds lovely. Good kitchen!
Next year, Solman will be steaming tamales, huh?
That's a bunch of tamale stories. Two hours in the cold for tamales? They must be really good.
TJ's is always good when you can't cook, but not quite as good as the real thing. Never tried the BBQ, I did get their tamales when we lived in Boston and didn't have many options. I wish we had TJ's here.
Last year I used Alton Brown's ham recipe and did cut the hock off. It was good, but this year I went with the ready to go version.
Solman, how was your holiday?
OMG!!!!! MAS Tamales por favor.
Feliz Navidad Companeros y Companeras!
Oh our plllog is so sweet and always looking out for my life passions. Gracias! Muchisima Gracias!
Now I don't know whether to be happy or cry since I can't get my hands or, better said, teeth on all these links.
I mean now I see that you Californistas really take Tamales seriously.
Steff, Missy, did you see all that "tamalation" in LA? I don't know what I'm doing living here, believe me. So, plllog that's it! I'm picking up the Visa on Monday, should be in California by the weekend, and let's get your, well my, kitchen up and running. Don't worry about the wind damaged window, I'll take care of that. You just get those tiles on the way please. Speaking of which?? Also can you check if all these Tamale guys deliver. How far are they from the house anyways? Oh and I'll call Amy and tell her that, with all this action in LA, I'm really not ready to settle down to just her; quite yet.
Steff, please don't take it personally but I've got to act on this while it's hot, literally! SA can be the weekend home, I guess. Oh and not that overgrown celebrity roadshow thing they're building please, a small Yellow casita with a big pink flowering tree, Saltillos, and an arched entrance will do just fine. Umm and enough extra space in the Kitchen for the second Talavera water jug. Thanks.
Steff's REALLY got the X-mas goods. No doubt about it.
Love that hot bike Steff! Congratulations, it's like Sweet 16 all over again. Can we have a ride? Please? We promise to be careful.
And the menu? Nice! Sopa de Tortillas :) and all the lovely 30 inch Wall oven stuff ;) EEK! But Steff, looks like you're a really good cook.
And please tell me and the IKEA UK ladies that all that food took up very little space in the oven and you had at least an extra 6 inches of wasted space LOL!
I LOVE creamed Spinach and have only had it once in my life.
It was in Buffalo, NY at some American chain called The Boston Market. I always got that and Butternut Squash as my 2 sides with the Quarter White Chicken breast. Actually, the best fast food meal I have ever had... in America. No candle to a steaming hot Tamale in the Mercado Central in Mexico City, of course.
Do you guys have Boston Market in the Sun Belt?
We had one. It went belly up. Too much creamed spinach, not enough tamales, probably. ;)
Solman, glad you enjoyed the tamalepalooza. Another day, another tamale story here. But it's a good hour to anywhere that isn't right here. Not that we don't have any tamales, but it's not the same as when las mamás make them.
Yeaaa, I'm back everyone, with a little X-Mas report. Thank God there are no Tsunamis on this Boxing Day. That was so sad.
Spent the night with my (I was telling a lie) 77 year old Aunt! We were up until 2:30 A.M as she told me all the cute littlel stories of my childhood. I particularly liked how I would always hang onto my cousins skirts, wherever we went, and never let go. Also, that I never trusted eating anyone else's food except my Aunts, so not a good little dinner guest. Very suspicious little guy I was, unlike the mad Latin American street stall eater that I am today. Is that a 360 or what??
To this day, my Aunt is the uncontested best cook in the entire family. She made a beautiful, aromatic Vegetable rice Pilaf made with green beans, Eggplant, stuffed green chiles, raw cashews, cinnamon sticks, sauteed paprika potatoes, on Basmati rice. That was accompanied by her homemade yoghurt and whole wheat rotis.
As for the gift scene, I don't accept presents and I ask anyone wanting to give that they redirect it to my chosen charity. As a typical North American, really I think I have far too much excess, except a Kitchen ;)
But while I didn't physically get a gift, my Aunt told me about something that was just as good as any gift I would ever dream of. A couple of people we personally know have recently gone to a 5 day Yoga retreat with a real famed Yogi that comes from India several times a year. The emphasis is on breathing and after attending, told us how their life literally changed overnight after the workshop. My father who started showing the ailing signs of aging has now suddenly started looking youthful after 6 months of practice.
So, the moral of this story is that just hearing about this Workshop, starting on Jan 27, 2010, is possibly the greatest X-Mas gift I will have ever had.
Stef-Plllog-Missy, have you practiced Yoga?
P.S. My Aunt did ask me why on earth I was measuring the width of her stove which was a 24 incher and REALLY looked perfectly normal as she had all burners in use as well as the oven. I was shocked how normal and adequate it really looked. No doubt the 28 inch IKEA UK induction needed some self convincing and that it's actually much larger than the 24 inch Euro norm.
Well noted plllog. Yes you are dead on the time sequence.
I was to leave on Saturday and stay over until Sunday but the young couple we were having over changed plans and could not come over Saturday night so I raced to her house Friday night for the change of plans. Actually, my Aunt was just so good about it. Nice to see these days.
Whoops, plllog, no I didn't think to measure inside as I just assumed its 24 inch wide by 24 inch high like the IKEA. But being the inquisitive little Oven Detectives that we've both become, I'm going to ask my Aunt to get in there with a measuring tape tomorrow because the curiosity will kill us :)
Plllog just before I retire to Bedfordshire for the night, I can't resist telling this one. While I had really a special intimate moment with my Aunt (The Nice), last night was sheer Hell and maybe the worst X-Mas night of my entire life (The Not So Nice!).
So, I went sleep., on the living room floor on a little pad. It is the 1st time in my life I actually slept over at her Apt. It's a very nice, Senior's Apt with one bedroom and really not suited to guesting. After turning out the lights at 2:15 A. m. I heard the continuous TICKING sound which came from the Electric Heating Floor Rads that were against the wall and within 4 feet of my ears. I have hot water Rads which are absolutely noiseless. So, I tried to ignore the non-stop ticking noise and the roar of the refrigerator motor which kicked in every 1/2 hour, but just could not.
I kept my eyes closed, my mind tossing and turning and thinking about Milk Paint, Green ovens, strange 28 inch sized induction cooktops, stencils, cookware. Oh yes, the whole story. Finally, I was dying to know what time it was after literally just having my eyes closed for all these hours but technically I was wide awake, and i saw the numbers 7 a.m. on the VCR. Then like a smart cat, I said enough is enough and came up with a sleep plan. I got up, turned the heating in the Apartment right off! and Woallah END OF TICKING!!! I began my X-Mas sleep at 7 a.M. and woke up at 2 PM Saturday. My lovely Aunt was so understanding and was not affected by the lack of heat in the morning.
Woallah? Is that anything like woolly?
What an Auntie!! My mother gets very upset when I turn down the "chamsin" (hot dry wind). Very nice of her to let you sleep in the kind of cold y'all have up there!! Empathy on the ticking. In my case it was the big clock on the desk. Which I put in the laundry basket in the coat closet to go to sleep. Got a call about a week later asking if I'd seen said clock... ;-)
I hope you all, and Marthavila's sister too, have had a lovely holiday.
solman - glad you had a good holiday. Have only dabbled in yoga a bit, but like the idea of the flexibility and breathing exercises.
The nearest Boston Market is over an hour away, but creamed spinach is easy. The most important ingredient is the dash of fresh nutmeg. Thanks for the comment about the good cooking. We watched Julie and Julie a few days ago and I did some reading on the background of the movie. That lead to reading cooking blogs and somewhere in there found a disdainful comment that cooks like me are "assemblers" who basically depend on putting together good ingredients rather that "real" cooking. Okay, but the result is great.
Do you need a Visa? It's been several years, but I didn't need one to go to Canada. In fact, we were there to do business and the immigration clerk rolled out a welcome mat in the form of a big smile and cheery greeting.
It's a little cold here today, but I will ride the bike soon. I'll have to go out early in the day as my street is a favorite of Lance wannabes who will run me down. Far from excess, my new bike is from Walmart. It replaces a very nice Trek, but it's really all I need to get around the neighborhood.
ROTFL!!!! Stef, that remark about the "assemblers" is a hoot! Yeah, a real cook uses inferior ingredients (see tamales and fajitas), and an "assembler" can afford food that is good enough to stand on it's own. Right. Sure. Or maybe someone who can make a great soup is a good enough cook not to mess with a good piece of meat. I always freak out when they salt meat before cooking on TV. All that does is dry it out! A really good piece of meat shouldn't need sauce or seasoning, and if you like the taste of sauce and salt, that's what the Heinz bottle and shaker on the table are for, but don't wreck the meat for everybody with it. (Sorry, almost veg Solman. I went through that phase a long time ago and came out the other side.) But fresh veg need even less cookery than meat. Some profit from blanching or steaming, but most are great cleaned off and cut up, period. Making real fajita meat fit to eat is a long, involved process, and the whole thing takes a good cook. Not sure it's what that snob was thinking about, though. :)
I'm getting back in bed where it's warm...
Same reaction here. I prefer to purchase good raspberry jam for the trifle rather than making it myself. I did go through a phase where I tried to make everything, but that didn't last long. I gave up on the fajita meat and buy it ready to grill from one of our local markets. Reliable, good tasting results are important.
BTW, the movie is Julie and Julia. Proofreading isn't enough sometimes. The movie was fun and I was surprised to find the foodies were so negative about it.
Went through a veg phase for a while, too. Now we mix it up more.
Enjoy your nap.
Hey Stef,
Well the man is up and alive and invigorated with sleep once again.
Last night i closed all the thick velvet bedroom curtains and created absolute darkness for my sleep. No such ticking foolishness in my ear. Thank God.
So, while our little Morning Lark is off on a Cat Nap (how ironic is that?) Is she a bird/cat wannabe?
Now here's what I'm examining today, while snow flurries are pouring down in the window beside me. Basically it's down to 2 candidates. Color being the same, so race is not an issue LOL! White. Oh and even in the same family, the Kohler's.
1) 18 x24 Self Rimming
no faucet deck
-yes looks more stylish BUT means Mr. Portland wold need to be drilled through the tile. This means another issue that the faucet would have to be drilled dead centre of the 4x4 Talaveras since physically and visually you wouldn't want the faucet on a grout line.
rim looks- definite rim dropped onto tile.
size- gives you extra 3 inches counter space on either side of the center of window.
2) Tile in 21 x30 inch
-if I understand, it will tile right up to edge of sink so it is a flush and continuous and there is no rim on the tile surface? Thus you sort of get the under mount effect of uninterrupted counter to sink look.
-Deck may help contain water dripping behind sink and in the "Hidden Valley" behind the counter. Will also mean no drilling into tile and centering grout line issues. By the way, does water ever gather at the base of faucets?
3 inches less counter space on either side of window.
If Tile In 21 x 30 inch, how many holes? Comes either as 3 or 4. Plate or no plate? Sprayer or no sprayer.
What's our vote?
I found this photo from our Faucet Party.
Now, this is a brain stumper. Is this Tile In or a self rimming with tile on top?
Now if tile in, does it mean that the 4x4 inch tiles will run right up to the metal frame of the sink? If so, will the outside edge of the 4x4's along the perimeter be visible? Because they are just raw unfinished edges with yellow glazing on top, If that makes sense.
Here is a link that might be useful: Kohler Tile In sink.
Hello there solman. Thought you were taking the day to sleep off the sleepless night. Sounds like you are doing much better now.
I did a little research on the tile in sink and find very inconsistent info. The product photos mostly show the sink without the tile. The one pictured above won't work for you because of the unglazed edges. There are some that fit flush with the tops of the tile and I think that's what you need. I had a sink like the one in the link for a while and the water does pool in the grout next to the metal rim. This causes the grout to erode around the sink. I don't like the looks of it either. We need to find a sink that fits flush with the tile and has a faucet deck if it exists.
Off to do more research.
plllog- I just looked at your sink The Entree and it says tile in. But with my Bakersfield it shows a silly metal frame with description as Tile In/Metal Frame.
So the question is, is this "metal frame" supposed to show? Ewww. And a proper Tile In sink must have square corners, but this Bakersfield has conventional round corners. I'm confused. Obviously that would look ugly trying to cut rounded tiles to meet the rounded corners. Hope you have the answer to this mystery of sink-kind.
Here is a link that might be useful: Supposed Tile In Sink
Thanks Steff.
I agree, we need the Tile In, but go figure this Kohler Bakersfield has me stumped.
1. Why are the corners rounded
2. Why the silly metal frame thing.
If above 2 can be solved we have a winner. I like the less than 33 inch length just to preserve more work-top area.
Steff, um I was just curious, is there any more Sopa de Tortillas left? You can tell I'm a little hungry and your's really sounded REALLY good :) Wish we would have had a little photo to see how it looks. Long story but I have a fetish for food shots LOL!
I was just thinking guys, what would happen if we bring this Euro beauty here? It is 220-240 V like the cooktop we are bringing. But, could an Electrician run a 240 volt line also for this? Seems that if the cooktop would run, wouldn't this dishwasher?
It would be $842 with shipping and exchange. The Canada AEG and Bosch are $1,200 + tax.
The White Kenmore is $550
Here is a link that might be useful: 18 inch IKEA UK
That dishwasher looks like a great option. According to the info, the door is an add on, but you can probably get that in Canada. If you have enough room on your electrical panel, the electrician can run the line. Have it checked before you order.
Back to the sink. So far, the only tile ins with faucet deck are double bowl and the square corners are on the apron sinks. You could order the deck plate with the faucet for extra stability on tile. You can flush mount an apron sink and the front doesn't have to show.
I do have some Sopa de Tortilla left and I could take some photos. So you have a fetish? I do love good food photos, but never thought of putting my humble dinners in that category.
Hi Steff,
Thanks for the update.
Say is our favorite Sun Cat still napping? Yeah I saw plllog's Kohler Entree, nice square corners but it's a 33 incher.
Look what I found on Craiglist today! Kohlermania $100 for Bakersfield and the Entree!
Here is a link that might be useful: Brand New Kohler Sinks
Haven't finished reading. Not focusing well yet. Not Lark. That's your joke. Night owl. Owl and Pussycat went to sea in a beautiful pea green boat. Compatible. Both nocturnal. Both like field mice. Not sure about the pea green, but if it were the color of beautifully blanched petits pois rather than pea soup colored, I could go for it.
Tile-in sink. You are very confused, señor. The sinks you have pictured are not tile-in sinks. The one in the thread is an undermount, with coior through tile glued on top of it. The metal frame sink is a drop in. And ugly. Mostly for Formica, I think.
A tile in sink sets on your substrate. The mortar bed for the tile comes up to it, and over the deck a little. You need to buy quarter round to finish it off. The quarter round arches over the end of the mortar from the sink deck to the top of the mortar to butt up to your field tiles.
Just for you, I've processed the following and uploaded. Feel honored. :)
Here you can see the mortar bed and sink. In the back are some loose tiles I was arranging.
This is what it looked like on the substrate before the mortar went in.
(Told you it was white.)
Look closer:
Re DW "Program duration: 130 min." Program. Timing. Best to talk to the maker and find out if the frequency difference in the electricity is going to screw up the programming on the DW. It very well might. Other thing to find out is whether you could hook up a replacement board for the North American model to the guts of the prettier one, if it would work well, and how much it would cost. Be careful with appliances that use clocks for more than buzzing you at a set time.
Re CL sinks, did you notice the colors? Almond and biscuit? Does that work for you? The linked spec sheet for the first model is for a self rimming (i.e., drop in) sink, not tile in.
Gracias! Me gusta tu cocina.
Plllog, That's a serious window. Nice. Well done with the photos.
So, looks like we need some yellow quarter round and may have to bite the bullet with a 33 inch Tile In, like yours. The pickings are indeed slim. I think the Talavera quarter round is maybe 1 inch width.
Do you think that distance you've described above would be about one inch? Or does that sound really big?
Just curious but your prep area to the left of the sink, Is it more than 27 inches?
Here is a link that might be useful: Talavera Quarter Round
Quarter round is pretty standard. The measurement is across the widest cross section, so kind of diagonally across the tile.
Before you do anything about buying anything, talk to your tile contractor, show him the sinks available and the trim tiles there and at Tierra y Fuego. Get some on the ground advice on what you should get so that it'll all work well together. For instance, a good tile setter might be able to adapt an undermount or self rimming sink, if needed, and there might be a different way of trimming it out in that case.
My prep area is the island. I don't remember the size of the area to the left of the sink, but 27" wouldn't surprise me. It's a DW plus a bit before the cooktop.
whoops, minor detail. Right, Biscuit. No just saw the whitish color, and no way would we sacrifice a serious design cue just to save a Buck or even a hundred of them.
plllog, be honest, this sink should really be a Tile In shouldn't it? But I just measured and if we put your same one in as a 33incher, there would only be 21.5 inches prep area from the left of the sink to the beginning of the "L". I think that's visually and practically not possible. And as you said, the silly Bakersfield that Kohler lists as a Tile In really isn't. It's a weird metal rim, rounded corner thing.
Then I'm forced into the 18x24 Kohler drop in?
Well said, the tile setter should be able to steer us right.
Looking at your sink, pre-mortar, The tile in's have a thicker perimeter to match the thickness of the counter tile. So, the tile setter should be able to create the same thing by adding either mortar or Ditra to the substrate.
Anyways, lets ask him. Surely in his 25 year career, he has done it somewhere along the line.
plllog, I just noticed in your photo that to the right of the window, you have wall cabinets and then your corner. But it doesn't look like a corner wall cabinet. Looks like you merged regular straight cabinets into an "L". Is that by preference of looks? Is there an advantage of not using diagonal corners in a Kitchen design? Visually?
Huh? Not sure I understand the first part of your question. There is a corner cabinet in the upper, but it is L shaped, if that's what you mean, only square. Double hinged door. My cabinets are 100% custom, but that's a normal kind of cabinet. An alternative is to have two doors that open from the middle, but I find that inconvenient.
Diagonal corners? Contradictory concept. But I take it you mean the cabinet like you got that cuts across the corner? Definitely a looks thing. Those kind of cabinets creep me out. I like my corners to be corners. You can get more into the angled kind, but it's hard to get into the back.
Yes exactly, it cuts across the corner. Well, I was kind of thinking the same as you and now noticed that not many people use or want that cabinet style. But I guess I can leave it as is unless you have a flash of genius. Problem was, I needed a glass display cabinet for the Mexican plates and Cobalt Rimmed Wine glasses. I was going to have the window cabinets flanking the stained glass window then thought that's too many confusing visuals. So, I flanked the window with solid doors and made the corner cutting cabinet with glass and illumination. I couldn't do glass on the cabinets flanking the Fruit Basket for the same reasons of distraction. So, I basically had to do this option.
Stef what about you, do you think those corner cutters are... not great?
Just thought of a question the tile setter will ask. Would you prefer continuing the backsplash right around to the end walls of the "L" to meet the counter edge or just stopping at the corner of the "L"?
Hi guys
Was away for a trip to NYC, sulking because of problems GW was having, super busy at work, must finish continuing education before Dec.31, and spent this past weekend at mom's.
Yes, I am on the east coast. I am Thrilled because my beach cottage thread has reappeared. And we have a Boston Market here about 3 miles away. Creamed spinach and spiced apples, yummmm ! Sounds like lunch to me. : )
Hi Angela, it seems GW is working better now and we can find our old posts and some that didn't get answers are bumping up. I usually miss NYC at Christmas, but this year I'm just fine being in a warm climate. Enjoy your lunch.
I see the tile in sink expert is back on the case and has set you on the right path.
The corner cabinet works well in your kitchen for all the reasons you stated. I don't have them in my kitchen here, but did put them in the Houston house because we are planning to sell it and thought it would appeal to buyers. Now maybe not, but it does add visual interest to the dead-end galley kitchen that I turned into a U-shape.
I would end the backsplash at the corner and not continue around the sides. It looks more like a bathroom than a kitchen and seldom looks good to me.
Angela welcome back! Looks like the Boston Market has struck a chord, great place for fast food isn't it? I wonder if their Creamed Spinach can hold a candle to Steff's. Glad to hear your thread is back, will have to visit to see what has transpired since my last comment on that wall with the cabinets you were debating on. Angela, when is the construction actually set for? You must be excited. Please let us know how your lunch goes, maybe I can see if the Buffalo NY locations are still in biz.
Steff,-thanks for the comment on the Corner cabinet. Good to know for the next time. Also, looks like you understood my tile dilemma. I know the wording is a little tricky and plllog that's where I lost you. Basically saying that do you wrap the back splash around onto the walls. Plus you need at least another 30-50 tiles.
plllog-I've got you confused. Let's try again.
Ist photo shows yellow tile backsplash continued on right and left walls winding around.
2nd photo of actual kitchen
Option 1-stop at wall underneath the double cabinet, parallel to the end of the countertop.
Option 2- continue to tile on the end wall so backsplash meets the countertop edge.
plllog- I just searched and found 2 variations on the same Tile In Sink theme. With and without quarter round.
Any particular reason you chose the quarter round route? Think it looks better?
Steff- Which style do you like better?
Hmmm, like the Cobalt Blue quarter round idea, looks more "custom". Any opinions? Blue vs Yellow.
Oh, isn't Solman clever? He's found a kitchen with white cabinets, yellow tile, and cobalt trim!
As to the first picture, I've never seen that version. The tile-in sink is easy to clean around, etc. It may be that the first sink was meant to be a drop in, and they set it flush into the tiles instead. Show this picture to Tile Setter and see what he says about it. He'll know better than I!
As to the backsplash, you notice how your first picture, plus both of the sink + tile pictures below it, show how it's correctly done. Yes, the tile is supposed to go around the corners.
I'm wondering if it might not be a good idea to revisit the double barreled square brothers? It would enhance your rustic look if you mixed up the backsplash, and extend your stock of tiles by using all those other samples to make more double barreled squares. Very authentic. Too rustic?
The first sink picture is exactly what I was trying to describe last night. Both look good, but the first is probably easier to clean. Check with the tile installer.
You asked about faucet drips, I rarely have any water run over the back of my overmount sink with single lever faucet. Two handle faucets have more of a problem with that.
Wrapping the tile around the side wall is easier to clean and I think you said you have a good tile guy. If you get the proper trim pieces, including that little rounded corner piece, then it will look good. The first photo looks like a bathroom and the second one has a cabinet on the side wall above the tile, both slightly different from your situation.
If you order trim for the wall tile, you could order quarter round for the sink also.
Steff, was it the first sink in the lower message you thought looked easier to clean? I was thinking the opposite. It looks to me like there's a deeper grout line at the edge of the sink flange than normal, and like the edge of the flange curves down a little. It's fine, but I kept looking at it and thinking crumbs would catch in that. Very minor point though. It's very easy cleaning a tiled in sink--but you do have to make sure to redo the seal when it wears out rather than letting water run down inside the cabinet. It's also easy to clean around a drop in sink, except for crumbs. You have to wipe them up or into your hand rather than right into the sink.
Any sink style, if it's installed properly, will be just fine.
Re faucets, I think having a proper faucet deck on a tile-in sink will help contain the splash over that Solman is worked about, with the height of the quarter round to keep in the drips and cleaning around the faucet puddles. A consideration with the radiator and window arrangement.
Usually, when one sees single hole faucets on tile, it actually is at a join, but other than making sure the tile doesn't crack if you center it, I can't imagine that anything matters but what you think looks good. An escutcheon might ease things, and keep any scale or whatever off of the tiles.
Solman, have you decided on accessories? Do you want the side spray? Will you want a soap dispenser? The more holes you have, the easier it is if you have a multi-hole faucet deck on the sink.
plllog, I think you're right about that line just before you sweep the crumbs over the side. Unless it is perfectly flush, you'd have to constantly run something around there to keep it clean. The one with the quarter round creates a space that you can just wipe down as you do normal cleaning.
I don't use the side spray a lot, but when I need it, it is very useful. You see a lot of pros and cons on the soap. I don't have a built in one, so don't miss it. I really like those tilting ones I've seen.
Oh, isn't Solman clever? He's found a kitchen with white cabinets, yellow tile, and cobalt trim!
--->But he's not too impressed with the White Cabinets. Stefffffffffffffffffff, did you say leave them Pine? :) I couldn't hear you there's snow falling on the roof.
Speaking of not hearing, Missy are you still in holiday mode?
plllog-stef wow good eyes. Now after looking closer at the tiles of that 1st WHITE WHITE WHITE Tile In sink photo, I'd like to know who the tile setter was just so I don't dare hire him :)
I mean look at the silly 2 inch strips of tile he puts around the sink which is a visual point. I mean did it EVER occur to the guy that maybe starting full tiles from the sink and then fanning out to the walls was just a little better looking? Go figure!
And the Kitchen, I mean yeah they must LOVE WHITE. Feels like an operating room. Maybe it was!
Earrings, belts, hair clips, pendants, rings, scarves.. Oh oh you mean men's accessories!
Soap dispenser-seems gimmicky. Also, maybe the soap would rot down there with the dispenser being above the rad.
Spray, yeah maybe. Never had one mind you. Seems like the blast from it will shoot water everywhere... behind the sink? But good for grunge removal I'm sure
Re photo, remember how much brighter your yellow is. The problem with the white/yellow/cobalt above is that the yellow is too pale and doesn't contrast well with the white. And you'll have the green trim.
Re soap dispenser, good call. Re spray, it's very useful for things like washing out the trash can, but side sprays often have limited pressure. You do have a nice long spout on your faucet which is good. Your sink/window area will look much less cluttered without it, but function comes first. There's a different valve with a side spray, so you have to decide ahead of time.
Do you know if your code requires an airgap for the DW? I think Miele don't require an airgap. Do you know if the other models you're looking at do? If you have to have an airgap, you'll need a hole for that...
Pinyata? A boat shape maybe? While we do have Christmas piñatas, you most often see them in warmer months because it is really an outdoor game.
Brrrrr. One very cold day at Mt. Tremblant we met a nice British couple and mentioned that we had only an idea of how cold it really was because we have to convert the temps. Their answer? "You're better off not knowing!"
I like the idea of the pine cabinets, I think we originally thought to paint them because it would go with the rest of your house or similar silly nonsense. Now we seem to have outrun the practicality police or at least I haven't seen them for a while. There was the issue of the pine not matching existing trim and some other concerns in the first thread. Remember when thinking of paint we are not recommending white, but a soft milkpaint in off white.
I'll be out until next week starting tomorrow, so wanted to get this greeting in early.
plllog- did you like the Cobalt Blue quarter round idea better than Yellow for the sink trimming?
Here is a link that might be useful: A Little Treat
Oooh! Is that Tile Setter? Restoring a classic counter?
Trade-offs: The quarter round in yellow might not match perfectly. (Likely won't, though it's a classic color, each firing will be just a little different.) Cobalt is more rustic looking. And you were wanting to de-emphasize the sink area.
Hi Guys,
I'm hiding from the Minus 28C, will pop out in moments to test it and my mettle.
You know that little treat I just sent. Well, that's the exact 30 inch type White Tile In sink that I need. BUT notice it is not really Tile in. It appears to have a rim with rounded corners. Your's has dead square corners for people who choose to mount like that 1st sink in the WHITE kitchen. So, IF I could possibly find a 30 inch Cast single rectangular bowl, it would be a dream. If only I knew where the one in this photo came from.
plllog, steff- I really like that guy's tiled counter with those little mini tiles. It's a shame that tiled countertops have such a negative rap out in Granitville. They're very attractive. I know, they're not the TREND right now. Speaking of which, plllog, any word on...?
Angela- you didn't tell us how The Boston Market went. I still can't figure out why they go under. Maybe the food isn't junky enough. The masses need more beef lard in their fries. Don't laugh McDonalds adds it to their oil to give them the nice Beefy flavor. DISGUSTING! coming from the Pescatarian/occasional Chicken nibbler, when tempted by Mole and other ethnic delicacies like Chicken Byrani.