Demolition Derby

A status report from our second weekend at our new (old) house...

Here is the downstairs 1/2 bath when I left for work Friday morning. Steven had just removed the washing machine from that back corner, and was fixin' to do a LOT more.

The same little bathroom, on Saturday evening...
And, finally, after a weekend of doing the Demolition Dance with Steven...
With some help from a Mister Radl, he demo'd the whole room and also took out the wall that was separating the bathroom from the kitchen. The plan is to steal a couple feet from that kitchen area (which will eventually become the pantry) so there will be room to install a simple shower stall in the back corner of the bathroom...crucial in a house with only 1 full bath. And with all of the debris from the bathroom demo, the dumpster is O-fficially FULL...
And on my end, I finished scraping the adhesive off of the floor of our future bedroom, which also called for the careful excision of approximately 1 million staples, and finally, removal of the tack strip. (Which, btw, was installed as if it needed to survive a nuclear holocaust. BIG nails, in addition to the tacks, about every 5 inches. Next time you encounter a carpetinstallerman, kick him in the shin for me.) Awesomely, my mom (aka: the wallpaper czar) went to town on the wallpaper in there, removing all of the vinylized portions, and about 1 wall's worth of the paper backing.Now we just need to talk to our floor guy about refinishing the floor, and I need to focus on removing the rest of the paper backing & adhesive on the walls. Apparently hot water with fabric softener is the trick (per the czar). The BR as it stands right now:
And using that method with great success, my BIL Brian, removing the wallpaper in the parlor...
I'd say it's about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way done, and then we'll figure out whether we can just prime it or we need to do a quick skim coat over the plaster. So excited to paint this room! I already have a "vision". :)
It was beautiful out this morning, so I decided to get some garden time in. (Which means the wallpaper removal in our BR is not as far along as it could be. But it was totally worth it.) I did some weeding around the lupine growing behind the house...
And I planted an impatiens that my grandmother brought up for me under the big maple tree in the side yard. Hopefully this puppy survives...I'd be quite mortified if the first thing I try to plant croaks on me!
I particularly love this impatiens, because it has double blossoms, which look really full and almost like mini roses. Pretty, yes?

Well that's it for tonight, but I'll be posting again soon...

We Own A House!

Well, a mortgage anyways, which is good enough for me.

Anyways, it's awesome! We are so happy to finally be homeowners, and furthermore, this house was definitely "the one" for us. (HA! Wait til you see the state it's in, you'll think we're nuts.) There's so much to do, and so much to write about--but not enough time...so for now, a bunch of pics from our first weekend in OUR house:

The Happy Homeowners

Not the most flattering shot, but such an event must be documented, so whatevs!

One of my favorite parts of the house--the front staircase with the original woodwork. (BTW, the painting is the wedding portrait of the previous (late) owner's parents, painted by her younger sister. More about that in future posts.)
This house was an estate sale, and we ended up getting the house with ALL of the contents. Consequently, we spent the first 2 days of homeownership sorting & clearing (as seen below). We managed to fill a 15 cubic yard dumpster in that time! But, we also "inherited" some pretty nice stuff that we'll either keep or sell at auction to help fund our renovations. The auctioneer is coming this weekend, so hopes are high that we have some treasures!
Steven checking out the oak HW floors on the first floor...I can't WAIT to tear out that nasty wall-to-wall carpet!
Caution: Biohazard. Steven scrubbing the upstairs shower, which had chunky, crusty black stuff growing on the grout. Looks pretty good now, for an ancient bathroom. (Second on our major renovation list.)
Pulling up the w2w carpet in one of the bedrooms, to reveal fir HW floors. But don't you just LOVE that purple carpet? ::gag::
And this is my current project--liberating the fir floor in our future bedroom from some mystery adhesive/binder that was used when they put the w2w carpet in, probably about a thousand years ago. Some of it is really brittle and scrapes off with little effort. Other parts have to literally be CHISELED off. Hoping to wrap this up this weekend and start the wallpaper removal, as we want to have this room completely done ASAP. We need a nice room to retreat to when the workzone gets to be too much! :)
The 4th bedroom (our future office) after clearing out all the junk and tearing out the orange/yellow/brown shag carpet:
Our luxurious accommodations until the bedroom is ready...twin air mattresses on the living room floor. What, no mint on my pillow? I can't work like this!!! ;) ;) ;)

Stay tuned...

We Are Under Contract!!! :)

Okay-most important news first:

Househunting. Our offer on that house was accepted last week, and as of today, we are under agreement! There is so much more that needs to happen before we become homeowners, but we are definitely thrilled to have a signed P&S and a closing set for July 24. If all goes as planned, we should be moved in by August 1 and ready to enjoy the best time of year in New England...the end of summer-autumn-slide into the holidays...in our own (first!) home. Here's hoping!

And in other news...

Mount Desert Island YMCA Spring 10K. Why do people volunteer to do these kind of things? (For the record, my reason is that I was coerced by 2 very persuasive, yet sadistic, girlfriends.) What on earth possessed all of the other people who participated in this event!?

Perhaps you are picking up on just how much I enjoyed my first 10K a couple weeks ago...to sum it up, I'm glad I did it, but it's fair to say that it was my first and last. As I've said, I am not a runner and I am not in shape. Add to that the fact that 80% of the other participants were Lance Armstrong doppelgangers (including the women) AND that the race took place on the only hot and sunny day we've had in the last month (figures), and what you have is a miserable, hot, sweaty LT straggling behind the fit masses, wondering why she wasn't sitting on a seaside bench enjoying an ice cream cone instead. ;)

BUT it bears repeating...I AM glad I did it. I not only achieved my goal of finishing a 10K, but managed to run the whole way except for about 50 feet at the top of a steep hill when I thought my head was going to explode. (I think we can all agree that that's an undesirable event.) So, checked that off my list, and have implemented a 5K maximum policy from here on out!

Cherry Clafouti. I feel like I have been leaving out some of my more domestic endeavors lately, so here's my latest culinary effort. I had some sweet cherries that I needed to use up, and plenty of eggs on hand, so I decided to take a stab at a cherry clafouti. I based it on the following recipe from Martha Stewart Living:

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 pounds cherries, pitted
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 3 tablespoons kirsch
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10-inch porcelain tart dish, and fill with cherries. Set aside.
2. Sift flour and salt together into a large bowl. Add sugar. Gradually whisk in whole eggs, egg yolks, milk, and cream. Add vanilla-bean scrapings and kirsch; whisk to combine.
3. Using a sieve, strain the batter over the cherries. Bake until puffed and browned, about 45 minutes. Let cool until warm; it will sink slightly. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve.

I did make some small changes based on what I had in the house (skipped the kirsch, used vanilla extract instead of bean, and increased the milk amount to 1.5 cups because I didn't have heavy cream) and it still came out pretty well!

Straining the batter over the cherries:
Right before putting it in the oven:

The finished product:
It was really quite good, like a warm eggy fruit custard, but I think next time I'll use a recipe (such as this one) that calls for more flour, just to make it a little more cake-like. Also very good cold the next morning!

Random Randomness

Nothing huge going on these days...but some random tidbits:

-I just started reading this book...

and so far it's awesome.  All kinds of nature, travel, science-y kind of stuff.  I'll do up a proper review when I finish it.

-This Saturday I'm running the Mount Desert Island YMCA Spring 10K in Bar Harbor with a couple of my best girls.  This is actually going to be quite the escapade, as I am not a runner by any stretch of the imagination, and supposedly my compatriots have not been training very diligently either.  (I've been fooled by them before, though, LOL.  When I decided to do my first running event ever, a 5K last fall, one of these tricksters was all "I don't know how to run either, I hate it, I'm gonna have a heart attack" etc.  What happens when the race starts?  She zooms past not only me--the meatball of our trio--but also past our other friend, whom I consider to be a "runner", as she does so regularly and actually finished a, gulp, 10 mile road race just a couple months before!)

A shot taken right after the run in question ;)

In all seriousness though, it's always nice to set goals and challenge yourself, and this is just one of those things.  My goal is simply to finish the 10K, ideally without having to stop or walk...which is something I was not able to do for the 5K.  If I can do this without any major calamities, especially those of the gastrointestinal sort (oh, don't laugh.  the last time I tried to run "far"--i.e. 4 miles--there was an...incident.  But that's a story for another time...) I'll consider this a major feat!

-We put an offer in on a house today!  Normally I wouldn't even say anything about it, as I'd be afraid of "jinxing" it...but considering how little my superstitions have assisted in the house buying effort so far, I'm just going to let it fly.  And I'm not even going to pretend to be nonchalant about it...we LOVE this house!  

It's our favorite style (turn of the century colonial), with most period details intact, a really nice 1/2 acre yard, and a quick walk to the town commuter rail station.  It's in one of our "B" towns, needs some cosmetic updates, and has a slightly odd kitchen layout...but I'm in luuuuuuuuuurve.

Yes, yes...I know better than most that the cruel I-can't-believe-we-didn't-get-that-house heartbreak monster is lurking in the bushes, just waiting to jump us.  And he's got a good shot at crushing us, since the house already has multiple offers after only 3 days on the market.

But you never know, this could be the one.

That's all for now!

New Hampshire Weekend-Part2

Since my last post covered the outdoorsy part of our weekend in New Hampshire, it's time for the indoorsy part!  Our stay at the Sugar Hill Inn was very nice, and quite the snazzy little treat.  To truly understand our appreciation, you need to know just 2 things:

1) we have been living in a 620 square foot, one-bedroom apartment with 1 tiny bathroom--featuring a small stall shower--for almost 4 years now.  there are several invaluable PRO's to living here, but space and comfort don't fall on that side of the list.

2) we run on the frugal side and generally won't splurge on accomodations.  there are some exceptions (i.e.-honeymoon)...but we usually stay at hostels and other budget-friendly establishments when we travel.  (and we have the communicable diseases to prove it!  juuuuuust kidding.)

So, now that you're in the know...how do you think we feel about super comfy king-size beds and big ole jacuzzi tubs?  If you guessed "smitten", you're right on point.  Add yummy breakfast that we don't have to cook?  Yup, a GREAT weekend.

 Steven & I, in my favorite room at the inn:

I bet you didn't think I was going to say LIBRARY, did you?  But this room was awesome--comfy furniture and loads of books & mags about my favorite things...home, travel, and food.I could have spent way more time in there.

Another one of the public spaces, the tavern, where tea and snacks are served in the early afternoon, right before cocktail hour:
It was at this "tea time" that I tasted a new-to-me DELICIOUS cheese, called Cana de Cabra. It's the cheese on the left...

Since I'm pretty sure I'd sound ridiculous if I tried to describe it, here is a description from Gourmet-Food.com:

"Cana de Cabra is a soft-ripened goat's milk cheese that is native to the Murcia region of Spain, aged for only 3-4 weeks.  Murcia is a region renowned for its high quality of goat milk, and Cana de Cabra is one of the finest examples.  It is similar to the French Bucheron.  Cana de Cabra is creamy and mild but has a full flavor.  Tangy citrus notes balance the rich creaminess of the cheese and there's a hint of mushrooms as well.  It is often presented sliced into thin rounds with a simple salad, fried or baked in a pastry."   

And here are a couple pics of our suite--specifically, the sitting area with the jacuzzi in the background, and the bedroom area.

Lastly, I just want to mention the food.  (Can't forget that!)  We had their breakfast both mornings, which was very good, but perhaps not as innovative as their online sample menu suggests.  While the breakfast entrees did change each morning, they pretty much stuck to the classics--scrambled eggs, pancakes, granola--albeit with quality local ingredients, which I think they deserve a lot of credit for.  However, I'm not gonna lie...I was really hoping for some crabcakes benedict or zucchini fritters. 

Dinner, however, was a whole different story.  Not only was it delicious, but it was an experience.  There were ingredients, combinations, and presentations that were novel and interesting to me--and I could tell that a lot of thought went into these creations.  While the portions were small, the prix fixe menu consisted of 4 courses and we were both full when all was said and done.  My favorite part of the meal?  Ginger creme brulee. :) 

All in all, a wonderful weekend....and here's to the next 10 years!

New Hampshire Weekend-Part 1

Our weekend away was perfect!  It was everything we had expected and then some.  Let me just say, even though we've done a fair amount of hiking and camping in both Maine and New Hampshire, we were blown away by the stunning natural beauty of Franconia Notch State Park.  The interplay of rock and water was just amazing.

MAJOR highlight: I saw my first MOOSE!  

Some pics:

Kinsman Falls:
Pemigewasset River:
The Cascades:
The Flume Gorge:
The Cascades & Me:
We're hoping to head back up there this fall...so much more to see!

Coming Soon: Part 2 of the New Hampshire Weekend

Anniversary Pizza

Since we're not really celebrating our "10-years-togethiversary" until this weekend, Steven & I just decided to do something low key tonight.  So we made pizza:

Steve snagged some pizza dough from WholeFoods, and we topped it with homemade pesto;  oven-roasted zucchini, summer squash and tomatoes; and some fresh mozzarella.  Really simple, really good.

Restaurant Rave-MATCH

Wow.
Every couple of months, I go out with some girlfriends from my previous job, just to catch up, gossip, and see what everyone's been up to. This past Thursday, we hit Match. It's a modern restaurant/lounge with a "Burgers and Martinis" theme and I have to say...I loved it.

The atmosphere and decor were just right...trendy with unique lighting and a large striking fireplace centered on the back wall. Once we were all settled in our comfy U-shaped booth (perfect for a serious gabfest), it was time to get down to business. And by "business" I mean some super girly martinis, the best of which was the Mango Shizzle, and the most interesting of which featured a Pop Rocks candy rim. When it came time to order our meals, we all bypassed the specialty of the house (their gourmet sliders) and went right for the entrees. Why? At Match, Thursday night is ladies' night and all entrees are $5! Everyone except for me took full advantage and went for the filet mignon with goat cheese mashed potatoes, which they raved about (one friend even said they were the best MP's she's ever had). My blackened salmon with honeydew melon salsa and parmesan risotto cake was perfectly cooked and delicious. The portions were just right, so we all finished with the chocolate chip cookie dough fritter with dulce de leche ice cream. Yum.

So all in all, I had a great time at Match and would definitely recommend it...especially for ladies' night. Cocktails are a little pricey at $12, but the $5 entree is a steal so it all works out!

Win Free Goodies!

Or try to anyways.

I absolutely LOVE sweepstakes, raffles, giveaways...basically any opportunity to get free stuff. In case anyone else out there feels the same way, I thought I'd mention that Self magazine is giving a ton of stuff away this month. No purchase necessary, no catch, ends May 20th. Prizes include everything from award-winning beauty products, to bicycles, to spa vacations, to sneakers.

Click here to enter.

Last year I won 2 bottles of Garnier Nutritioniste daily moisture lotion...and I'm crossing my fingers for another prize this year!

10 Year Anniversary!

Drum roll please....

On May 11, Steven & I will be celebrating TEN YEARS TOGETHER! I can't actually believe it's been that long, which is a good thing--time really does fly when you're having fun. :) Yes, I realize that now that we're married, the wedding anniversary could trump the dating anniversary...but honestly? I feel like those 10 years encompass such a significant decade of our lives, and the vast majority of our relationship, so focusing on the relatively short, but admittedly more "official", 2 years of marriage seems a little...bleh?

If I had the time, energy, and motivation to make a highlight reel, it would go something like this: senior prom, graduating from high school, white water rafting trips, Woodstock '99, going off to college, many trips to mid-coast Maine, graduating from college, great trips abroad with great friends, getting our first 'real' jobs, moving to the Boston area, getting engaged, a couple more trips, getting married!, becoming Uncle & Auntie, a couple job changes, and viola!

Here we are, reminiscing.

To celebrate, we're going away for a weekend and I am really excited! We are heading up to the Franconia Notch area of New Hampshire and treating ourselves to a stay at the Sugar Hill Inn, which looks beautiful, and is known for it's delicious gourmet breakfast.  YUM.  By day we'll be hiking around, getting a good dose of the outdoors and checking out the scenery--by night we'll be dining fireside, sipping bubbly, and enjoying our suite.  Cannot wait!