DC Rowhouse

Maryland Home and Garden Show - Winner!

2011-10-07T10:07:00.000-04:00

The winner is . . .

SFDC!

Please e-mail me ASAP at dcrowhouse@gmail.com to get your tickets!

Maryland Home and Garden Show - GIVEAWAY

2011-10-05T13:21:00.001-04:00

I'm giving away a set of FOUR tickets to the Maryland Home and Garden show. The show is October 14-16 and features things like an IKEA kitchen stage and other interior design! This is a great chance for you to visit with hundreds on contractors in one room!

How to enter:

Leave a comment (make sure you put in your e-mail so I can let you know you won!) by Thursday, October 6th, 2011 at Midnight. I'll annouce the winner on Friday. Good luck!

Meanwhile . . . we added another project

2011-10-03T15:54:00.000-04:00

In the midst of working away, in the hot, sun on the deck - another project fell out our feet. Beneath our feet would actually be more accurate. In our rowhouse we have two units, the one we live in (which is the top two floors), and the english basement unit. The term "english basement" is used to describe a unit that is only partially below ground, our basement apartment has full size windows, but the bottom of the window is the ground. We were finally getting to the basement renovation we had been thinking about for years!

Our tenant (who had lived there two years before we moved in) was moving out - and the place was in dire need of a make-over. We just had no idea how much. In fact, we had only been into the apartment a few times in the entire time we owned the property. Our tenant was the best you could ever hope for and we never had to fix a thing. The only time we had been in the basement apartment was to turn off the main water main when we renovated the kitchen, and maybe for one or two other small things we needed.

Graciously, our tenant allowed us to tour the apartment a few weeks before he moved out so we could plan for what we would do - we only had 4-5 weeks to do everything we needed to before the next tenant moved in. During the walk through we thought it looks pretty good, but when all the furniture and wall hangings were removed, it told a different story. Here's a picture of the kitchen (I had pulled out the stove right before I took the picture).

We had never noticed the kitchen floor had two separate tile sections. Though we planned on ripping it out - it was more a must now and less of a wish list item. The walls were all stained and dirty around where the picture had been hung and above the electric heat registers. Even a mixture of bleach and soap didn't work to wash it off. So, paint would also be necessary now. We would be using everyday of that 4-5 week period for sure now! But, there was something new and exciting about working on a space where we didn't live. It was going to be a new way of renovating.

This post was supported by: RONA

Back to the Deck

2011-09-27T15:21:00.000-04:00

So, where was I? Oh, yeah, injuring myself as usual.

So, after the railing came down, we tried our hand at ripping up the deck boards with a crowbar. It did not work. At all.

So, it was time to take out the circular saw to cut through the boards - making them smaller pieces to pull up.

It did not work. At all. My cheap little circular saw was not cutting through the boards. So, off to Frager's Rental to get a better one.

Ah, much better. Though, I wouldn't say this worked like a charm. Oh, and you can also potentially sever your limbs with it. You can to GENTLY lower the saw into the wood before you start cutting - if you move a hair too fast, that saw will bounce back at you . . . and your feet.

Also, I was dumb and made too many cuts at once. Basically, we just wanted to get that scary part done ASAP, but it leaves the deck really unstable to walk on after. So, don't do what I did. Just make two at a time so you can rip up the boards as need be.

At the end of Day 1, this is how far we got. Did I mention it was also about 110 degrees that day? Yeah, I would recommend to renovated decks in the spring or fall. The work is really labor intensive and having the sun on you doesn't make it any easier.

We slept like rocks that night though. . .

Alive and Kicking

2011-09-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

Sorry. Life got the better of me and I have been neglecting the blog. But, don't worry there is much, MUCH, to share!

I'll be back next week to start posting the new projects!

Whoops

2011-07-14T17:03:00.000-04:00

So, the deck is done. I'll update you later on that. But first, let's talk about what happens when you drop a 4"x4" post on your foot.

After ignoring it for weeks (and not being able to fit it in a shoe), I finally went to the doc who informed me I had a "deep bone bruise" after checking to make sure it wasn't broken. Now, I'm stuck with this tape wrap for the next five days and a month of anti-inflammatory meds.

Maybe I should just re-name the blog to DC Rowhouse Injuries. Sheesh.

The Deck: Part Three

2011-06-28T13:22:00.000-04:00

While Dan left to drop off the rental truck, I stayed at the house and began the destruction. First, I cleared the deck and moved the grill into the kitchen.

A few strong pulls and the railings came down. One of them . . . onto my leg. At the time, it didn't hurt so bad.

But the next day showed a different story . . .

I should have known . . . 15 minutes into this project and I'd already damaged myself.

The Deck: Part Two

2011-06-07T10:00:00.003-04:00

6:30 am - My alarm sounds and I begrudgingly open an eye. We have to be at Home Depot at 7am to return the wood we have on "will call", rent a truck, pick out new boards, and bring them home.

7:00 am - We grab a cart for the wood (this in itself seems to be a feat to track down this morning) and head to the decking section to get the 2"x8"x16' pressure treated boards. As it turns out they are stacked up higher than I can reach. I ask a (very helpful!) employee to help Dan while I head to the service counter to return the wood on "will call" and rent the truck.

8:00 am - We start loading the 16' boards on the truck. This is way more work than it looks. It takes us 30 min to get them in there and the door closed. On a scale of 1-10, my crankiness is at a 5 now.

8:30 am - I get the keys to the truck. When I get back outside Dan has an odd (yet gleeful) look on his face.

Me: what?

Dan: I have something to show you?

Me: Um, what?

Dan: Come here . . .

We start walking over to the pallet of concrete blocks as he points between them. I crouch down to see this:

Do you see that little kitten face? We tried to catch it for awhile, but it was too hard to get to.

9:00 am: We head to the house to drop off the boards.

9:45 am: Back at HD to get the other boards we need to the railings etc. When you're at home making the list, 30 - 1"x6"x8', 12 - 2"x4"x12', 32 ballusters, and 6 - 4"x4"x10' boards don't seem like much. But, when you start loading them up . . . you realize how much that is.

By the time it took to load the wood, drive to the house, and unload the wood - it was close to 11am. We hadn't even done anything yet.

to be continued. . .

The Deck: Part One

2011-06-06T14:24:00.000-04:00

While the main structure of our deck is perfectly fine, the twenty year old floor boards and rickety railings had to go. I've been talking about this project for awhile. Years. We tackled the fence and stairs in 2008. Three years later it's time to do the deck boards.

Here are some before pictures:

You can see from that last picture that the railing was incredibly sturdy. Moving the grill was a piece of cake. I wheeled it inside and it took about 45 seconds - it was a one (wo)man job.

On Friday night we picked up our zipcar to head to Home Depot to get the boards for the deck. We spent about 30 minutes picking out the boards and loading them up before realizing there was no way we would be able to tie them onto the roof of our rental SUV as expected. So we pushed them up to the service counter to get some insight to what our options were. It turned out renting a Home Depot pick-up was the best route for us. So, we left the wood at "will call" and vowed to return at 7am the next morning to pick it up.

While we were picking out the deck boards Dan had questioned the thickness (they were 5/4). I insisted they were the right size. Until we got home and realized the boards we had on the deck were 2" (really 1.5") boards and I had to eat crow. Which meant all the wood we had laboriously picked out (and was waiting for us) was wrong.

So, wrong wood, wrong car. Not a good way to start a project. At this point, I started to think we were over our heads.

to be continued. . .

On the agenda. . .

2011-06-03T09:53:00.000-04:00

This weekend we are hoping to finally re-do the deck, which entails ripping up and replacing the floor boards and building new railings. The one thing I am dreading is carrying our huge 160 lb. grill down the stairs - though I suppose we may be able to wheel it inside the house for the day. But, it will be worth it once I get to smash all the gross and broken deck railings off.

Then, back to more painting. . .

Things are happening

2011-06-01T14:12:00.000-04:00

After another weekend of painting, we finally finished the living room, stairway and upstairs hall. We have never been so thankful for the ladder we bought a few months ago!

With the heat wave we are enduring (weather.com tells me it "feels like" 104 degrees right now), I can't imagine getting to all the outdoor projects we have on the list. But, the weekend looks great and I'm hopefully we get to tackle the deck!

Stay tuned . . .

Living room progress

2011-05-02T08:00:00.001-04:00

The last time you saw it, the living/dining room looked a little like this. And this . . .

A weekend of solitude was all it took for me to muster up the motivation to tackle painting the living room. I mean, we had only lived with the newly framed primed fireplace re-framing for oh . . . three years.

Painting the trim is next. Hopefully we'll get it done in the next three months rather than three years!

A quick note

2011-04-27T09:45:00.000-04:00

For the past two weeks, I've been having trouble loading photos. Hence, no posts.

Thanks for your patience.

Progress

2011-04-07T10:34:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick teaser photo:

This past weekend I made some serious progress on the living/dining space (even the kitchen!). Details coming soon.

Save Yourself

2011-03-25T09:07:00.000-04:00

After sealing the fence, my hands were left with a splatters of oily paint. I didn't have any hand scrub in the house so I quickly mixed up a bunch using what I had in the kitchen. It was fantastic! So, I'm passing it on to you my dears. . .

- 1.5 cups of kosher salt
- 3/4 cup hand/body liquid soap
- 1/4 cup olive oil

That's it. Seriously. Just mix them all together and store in a glass jar.

You'll save time, cash, and your poor-tired-paint-stained-hands.

My Secret Shame

2011-03-24T09:17:00.001-04:00

This is my closet . . .

But, um, this is my wardrobe (which only includes items that were hanging) . . .

On Sunday, I rented two clothes racks in an effort to stop the madness and purge my closet. Trying to get a tally for everything, I made counted of everything I had. I stopped counting at 400 pieces. I'm here to say that no one needs 60 cotton tank tops, or 65 sweaters. When everything was jammed in my closet it was easy to overlook the sheer mass of it all . . . but once it was brought into the open. Oh my. The shame.

After roughly 7 hours, I purged about 30% of my closet. While I'm sure I could have done more, this was about all I could handle in one day. Some things had never been worn and still had tags attached. Oh, and apparently I really like cardigan sweaters and peep-toe shoes.

As I was wrapping up, Dan brought home an early birthday present for me:

I can now say that all my clothes fit in the closet. . . though I think the next step is going to be a better organized space.

The Non-Weekend Weekend

2011-03-22T09:00:00.001-04:00

Can you really call it a weekend when you spend both days on home projects while running to and from the hardware store? While I guess it's the end of the week, this past weekend we busted our tails getting stuff done.

The horror of our ceiling got to be too much so we finally decided to have it painted. There is a reason I haven't posted a full picture of the kitchen light. . .

So, a year and a half later, we tackled the ceiling. I gotta say, painting the ceiling is a huge pain in the ass. The amount of plastic we used to cover the floor and some of the walls and the light fixtures was insane. We (plus three painters) spent about two hours of time just laying down all the plastic sheeting to make sure nothing was going to get messed up.

It took me about 30 seconds before I looked down and my hand was smearing blood on plastic. It ended up being a tiny cut. Seriously, just mention "home project" and my body will split open.

In the end, the change was huge! No more holes in the ceiling or ugly patch marks, no more blue square around the light fixture. Things are looking up!

We even had time to paint the fence outside.

To say we were exhausted at the end is an understatement. But, it's always worth it in the end.

The Latest

2011-03-07T09:49:00.000-05:00

It's not like we haven't been doing anything at DC Rowhouse lately . . . it's more like we haven't completed anything lately. But, there hasn't been a lack of activity.

We had a new hot water heater installed.

We put in new baseboards in part of the living room (more on that later), but haven't finished the spackling.

Plans are being made for the upstairs bathrooms, and I'm sorting through colors for the downstairs 1/2 bath.

There were big plans to paint the ceiling in the living room this weekend. . . but we never got around to it (mainly from sheer laziness on my part).

So, stay tuned, hopefully I'll have some completed projects to show soon!

Giveaway WINNER: All Modern

2011-02-25T09:29:00.000-05:00

The winner of the $55 gift card to Allmodern.com is . . .

EMILY!

Congrats

Giveaway: All Modern

2011-02-23T11:28:00.000-05:00

With all the snow storms hammering the midwest and northeast, a lot of us have been staying in and surfing the web. After all the shoveling, and cold and news-watching, I think you deserve a treat. Allmodern.com, a great site for modern furniture, has graciouly offered up a $55 gift certificate to one of DC Rowhouse's readers. If you haven't been to the site, you should take a minute to check it out. But, I warn you, it might take more than a minute to browse . . .there is too much to see! Below are some of my favorites:

Thomas Paul Octopus Pillow

Flower Pots

Classic Wine Decanter

What do you need to do to enter? Leave a comment on this post by Thursday, March 24th, 2011 at midnight. A winner will be selected using random.org and announced Friday March 25th, 2011. Make sure to include your e-mail in your post if you enter it anonymously so I can contact you should you win!

Ask DC Rowhouse: The Front Door

2011-02-22T17:57:00.000-05:00

Benny,

I love the mahogany door you bought for your front door. We are looking to replace ours and we were wondering where you found yours. I absolutely love the look. We may mimic your entire set-up with the all glass security door. Really opens up the entire face of your home. Lovely!
Thanks,

Lauren

Hi Lauren,

Thanks for your gracious comments! Choosing the front door was actually one of the easier projects. As it turns out, everything was from Lowes. We choose a mahogany six panel door at first, and stained/painted it ourselves. We had to special order it from Lowe's, but it was a pretty simple process and only took a couple weeks to arrive. We hired someone who installed the hardware and hung it for us. After a couple years, and sick of the draft, we had a storm/secure door installed. Since installing the glass door, we've seen our heating bill go down and have no more drafts. Overall, it's worked out pretty well. Thanks again for reading the blog!

Benny

Closet Conundrum

2011-01-26T11:48:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago we headed to Home Depot to pick up some closet doors, only to realize that six of them were the wrong size when we got home. Since we had already hauled the old doors to the curb, we were left with no doors for close to three weeks. This led to our room feeling like a storage unit/dorm room. The addition of the TV my parent's gave me for my 17th birthday isn't helping the decor either. What? I get attached to things.

Meanwhile, our old closet doors were parked on the curb waiting to get picked up (If you call the Mayor's office at 311 you can make an appointment to collect up to 7 large items of trash). The only problem was, no one ever came. So after two weeks on the curb, we took matter into our own hands:

In order to get rid of large items yourself, you have to take them to the Fort Totten Transfer Station. It's an experience. First of all, don't count on your GPS to get you there - it'll let you down. You'll end up driving in circles cursing and confused - but that just might be what happens to me each time. So, you finally get there, and you are "greeted" by someone who asks to see your ID to prove your DC residency. Then they tell you where to go. Here's where things get odd. You essentially pull into a parking lot and throw things on the ground. A large excavator rolls around on top of it and moves it into large containers.

If you're lucky, you get to throw away your trash inside. When we had to toss our old kitchen counter here, I didn't think I could do it. Visiting a stinky trash heap mid-July is not a fun errand.

Thankfully, this trip took only a few minutes. We headed back to Home Depot to pick up our newest closet doors and return the ones that were the wrong size. Finally, it seemed the closets would be fixed.

It took more time to picking up and throwing away the doors than it did for Dan to install them!

The roof is so shiny . . .

2011-01-21T16:59:00.001-05:00

Oh the roof. The good news is that it's now all fixed up. The bad news is that it cost an arm...and a leg. Maybe a couple toes of the other foot too. The turret and mansard portions of the roof have been completely rebuilt, and some nice copper flashing was added as well. While it's a nice feeling to know it's all taken care of, this project was a little bit less satisfying since we can't really see the finished product everyday. Anyway, I'll let the photos speak for themselves:

Draft Dodger

2011-01-12T10:18:00.000-05:00

When we moved into the house in 2006, this is what it looked like:

The front door was an older wood door with a half moon glass piece with a steel security door on the outside. Not pretty. So, in 2008, I changed it to a beautiful mahogany door:

Except, there was a draft problem. We had always had a draft from the front door (even with the old door), but I was getting more and more fed up with it. So, a few weeks ago I went to Lowe's and bought a security storm door.

I opted to have Lowe's install it. While the installer was a little difficult to schedule time with, and showed up 3 hours late, he actually did a great job putting the door in.

This door has changed our lives. Not only does it keep the draft out (we notice a huge difference in the heat levels downstairs), but when it's open it floods the living room with light. I only wish I had done it sooner.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

2011-01-07T14:19:00.000-05:00

And, someone isn't too pleased about it:

It's hard to see in the photos but the little black cat is still coming around. Dylan (our super-sized cat) is none too pleased. And yes, I am aware Dylan looks like a pillow-pet. He's a fatty.

Last night I saw a large piece of fur missing from the little black cat's shoulder (a little larger than the size of a quarter) and it looks like a small wound was there. It was hard to see because he is so excited for attention when I am outside. I'm hoping someone took him to see a vet, but I can't be sure.

This weekend I may ask around to the nieghbors if he belongs to anyone. If not, I'll probably take him to the vet to get checked out.

Why Roofing is Awesome

2011-01-05T17:02:00.000-05:00

I can name you 10 reasons why having roofing work done is not awesome. But, there is one reason it is: they work outside. That means, no keys, no being dressed when they get there, no worrying the house is messy (or they are going to make it messy), no rushing home, no fretting about having to stay home.

Oh, another reason. . .I don't actual have to see things like this:

That is a picture of old rotted wood from underneath our gutters (which we are having replaced). Our gutters in the front our built into the roofline of the house and the wood supports have seen better days (probably like 100 years ago by they way that looks!

Biggest Project... EVER

2011-01-04T12:27:00.000-05:00

OK, maybe not the biggest project ever... but it certainly is for DC Rowhouse. Maybe not the biggest, I mean most expensive. Well, no, that's not true either. Why do I keep lying to you? Here's the deal: it's the most expensive per day. Does that count? But, there is a catch. it's also the most boring project ever.

Here's a hint. This is what I woke up to this morning:

There was also a lot of this: KNOCK, KNOCK, BEEP, BEEP, BANG, BANG, BANG.

I'll give you one guess to what we are doing...go!

2011

2011-01-03T09:46:00.001-05:00

2011

Another year, another project list.

Lots on the horizon. In fact, we were suppose to start two big projects today, though both were delayed. Until tomorrow . . .

Ask DC Rowhouse: kitchen backsplash

2010-12-27T16:31:00.000-05:00

About two to three times a week I receive e-mail inquiring about the renovations we have done, products we have used, advice on their projects, or anything else that might pop up. I've decided to start posting them, a la "Ask DC Rowhouse". If you want to write in, feel free to contact me as always at dcrowhouse@gmail.com

Here's an e-mail that came in today from Andy, asking about the tile backsplash we used:

Hi, my partner and I are planning a renovation of our kitchen and our internet research has led us to your blog (isn't the internet a wonderful thing?). We have noted that the trend in kitchen design is to have the tile backsplash go all the way down to the granite countertop these days - eliminating that little flipped up part of the countertop in the back. My question to you is this: have you found that the grout line along the bottom of the backsplash - where it meets the countertop - is staying clean and white? (Especially behind the cooktop?) As the "cleaner" in our relationship, I have to deal with spaghetti sauce spills and splashes - and would be the one doing any re-sealing of the countertop necessary. I fear that the grout along the back of the countertop/bottom of backsplash would get discolored over time. Do you have any words of advice on this concern - did you have it when you made your design decisions, do you have it now, etc.

Thank you so much for your counsel - and your inspirational blog! We just finished an exterior renovation and landscaping on our "twin" here in Philly, so it is always nice to read about what is happening with others.

Andy,

Thanks for reading the blog! I too had those same concerns when designing the kitchen. Which is one of the reasons I choose to use a darker gray grout with out bright white subway tile. The previous owners had installed a tile counter with white grout and the wine/tomato/water stains were so annoying to scrub out. I can say we don't have any problems with the area of grout that meets the counter...save for one exception. The area behind the faucet can get a little grimy, as water splashes back there as we do the dishes. It's a hard reach with a sponge. But, it's an easy fix with some scrub and a toothbrush. Since we have a slide-in gas range, there have been no problems with the grout line behind the cook top. If anything, I would be more concerned with splatters higher on the backsplash.

If you choose to use the same method of running the tile down the counter, I would recommend properly sealing the grout in the tile. There are several products out there if you are doing the tile work yourself, or you can talk to your tile installer about it.

Good luck with your kitchen renovation!

Benny

When the man comes around. . .

2010-12-21T09:35:00.003-05:00

We have a beautiful black cat in our alley. During the summer I'll see him darting back and forth in the shadows of night or sitting at the far end of the alley keeping watch over the neighborhood. Occasionally, during the winter months mostly, he'll wander up to our deck and hunker down outside our door staring in with pleading eyes. It seems, he has returned.

Last week, Dan and I were eating dinner at Ted's Bulletin when I blurted out, "I have a confession." Dan sat up and stared me straight in the eyes. Since I have been working from home that day I think he assumed I was about to say, "oh, I bought a new couch by accident" or something. Instead I confessed to feeding the alley cat. While I expected a rant about how you don't feed cats you aren't prepared to take into your home, Dan simply shrugged and went back to devouring his catfish (which was an ironic meal for this conversation).

It was about 15 degrees that day and when I looked up from my laptop, there he was. One small bowl of cat food couldn't hurt, right?

Last night, he returned. As I was lighting a fire in the living room, Dan called over, "that cat's back." I casually opened the back door as it scampered away to drop a bowl of food on the mat. Cautiously, the cat crept back and settled into eating every scrap. Then, it didn't leave. So, I named it Johnny (after Johnny Cash, "The Man in Black").

After a few minutes Dan called back to me, "Are you gonna go out and give it some pats or what? I mean, that's the least you can do."

"Oh, no," I replied. I kept insisting the cat was feral and sprinted from me the moment I came close. But, to prove my point I opened the back door and slowly stepped out. The cat moved a few feet back, stared at me for a while, then bounded over with delight. Shoot. It rubbed against my hands with all its might, flopping and purring and pawing at me with ferver. It started to melt both our hearts.

I came back inside and Dan and I started to talk about what to do. Take it in for the night? What if he already has a home and is an outside cat? Did we have a private space for it? What if it freaked out? By the time we had gone over all these question Johnny was gone. But, I'm sure he'll return soon.

What have we gotten ourselves into?

Latest Obsession

2010-12-20T10:39:00.000-05:00

I don't know how I found her, and frankly, I don't care. I love her. Elise Morris.

I would love that first painting hanging over a deep blue velvet pin-tucked couch. Someday. . .

That time of year. . .

2010-12-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

If my christmas list was based on things solely for the house, this is what would be on it:

This amazing step stool for the kitchen. Not only would it make a great place to rest a plan atop, but it's fold out step stool would be great to reach up to the high shelves in the kitchen.

I'd love these wine storage units for above the console in the dining room.

Tools. . .and more tools.

Cashmere throws . . .doesn't need an explaination there.

For our fourth anniversary, Dan and I went to the tasting room at Restaurant Eve, and my pre-dinner cocktail (a gin and tonic, because these guys make - yes make - thier own tonic!) came in this lovely glass.

I'd love for this pillow to make it's home on my bed.

We don't have a toaster oven. I never really thought I'd want one, but then the time came when I thought, "yes, I'd actually like to make miniature souffles..."

Winter White

2010-12-13T21:28:00.002-05:00

Since I grew up in New Hampshire, I know what a real winter is. Listening to the radio each morning from my bed wishing and hoping classes would be canceled. Walking outside to have tears frozen to your face in a matter of seconds. Walking to school in six feet of snow . . . ok, maybe not that part.

The District last year had a taste, and this year looks like it's going to be another snow-filled season. Living here has given me a relaxed sense of winter urgency. I've been lax about finishing projects before the cold snap sets in, and this year is no different. But, unlike past years, this winter has come early for this time of year.

This morning I woke to Dan whispering, "it's snowing" in my ear as I wearily opened my eyes. Peering out the window I saw snow dusted cars lining the streets while snow flakes salted the windy skies. While I enjoyed drinking fresh pressed coffee watching the flakes fall, there is sadness knowing the end of working outdoors in the fall air is here.

It's time for evening fires, full-bodied red wine, and hopefully returning to finishing projects remaining in the house.

Another year almost gone by.

The Witching Hour

2010-12-08T13:26:00.000-05:00

For some reason I've been waking up in the middle of the night a lot lately. After laying in bed with eyes wide open for a while, I finally sneak out of bed and downstairs to watch TV. During those late night (or early morning) hours the main thing on TV is infomercials. This morning I saw this:

Usually they are selling exercise equipment at 3am...but now it's tools! Seriously, when they showed you can wall mount it, I almost called. Then I remembered I don't have a garage. They almost got me. Almost.

New Obsession

2010-12-02T11:41:00.000-05:00

Found here.

Thanksgiving Whirlwind

2010-11-29T14:28:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving this weekend equaled more time spent in the car than at the dinner table. This year I gave thanks for my This American Life Iphone app. We woke in the morning on Thanksgiving day, watched a little Macy's parade and headed up to Philadephia. What should have been two and a half hours, turned into four hours. Before we got to the relatives we stopped by the river to take in the view and have that awkward i've-been-in-the-car-for-four-hours stretch. When I looked down I saw this:

An actual message in a bottle! After some handy work we fished it out of the river's edge. I could see that there was an actual message in there, but there was also water in the bottle and some of the writing had worn off. It also looked like it was nonsense writing - or just some sort of script I couldn't understand. Either way, it was awesome but it ended up in the recycling bin.

After we stuffed our bellies with too much turkey and pie we drove up to New York City for the weekend and were lucky enough to have our 3-year-old niece to take care of for the weekend. So, you can imagine how time flew by!

Seven hours in the car to ride home to DC Rowhouse ended the weekend. Anyway, this was a long way of saying: Sorry, no updates on the house!

Spinning

2010-11-22T18:08:00.002-05:00

About two months ago, I went to turn off the hot water in the shower (we have a three handle system) and it just spun and spun. A little finagling and I managed to shut it off, but after a few times of that, it was done. There was no more grip. I popped the access panel and shut off the water. Since we have two full baths upstairs (a serious luxury in the city) I just started using the other one. No biggie. But, you can only let something sit for so long. Finally, I called a plumber. He came by and fixed it enough so I was able to use it, but the new handles I wanted would have to be special ordered. In the meantime, something was bugging me. . .

The tile behind the hot water trim had been cut too large . . . and there was a small hole exposed. Since I had a little time, I decided to try and fix it myself. So, at first I had to remove the old trim. The hot water handle trim came out very easy since it was just replaced. The others, not so much. It took a hammer drill to get the stripped screw out of the diverter (the handle that changes the water from the tub to shower and vice versa), but the cold water trim wasn't budging.

I organized all my friends:

After removing the screw with great difficulty, I could not get the trim off the stem. It was rusted on there. I sprayed it with WD-40 and tried to use a wrench to pry it off. After about three times of this, it finally worked. But the stem broke off with the trim. No big deal since it was going to be replaced anyway. I have no idea if this is how you're suppose to do it - but it worked for me!

I broke out the second tile. It's always such a strange feeling to break things in your own house. This was especially disconcerting since it could break the tile next to it and cause more problems.

Thankfully, it didn't and I was able to replace the two tiles.

Then, I was able to grout:

And, make a parts graveyard:

Then, the pros came back and finished it off.

Looks good right?

Later on, we'll have to re-grout the whole shower (something I expected to do a while back). But for now, at least we have an actual working shower.

*We used O'Neill Plumbing, 703-655-0071. They specialize in emergency work. Last year they came out on pretty short notice when we couldn't get the main water connection to shut off. You can see their great Yelp reviews HERE.

** As always, DC Rowhouse was not paid or perked by the service provider. I get lots of inquiries on who we hire and I'm happy to recommend the ones who we like.

Those are some mighty big boards you have. . .

2010-11-10T15:20:00.000-05:00

One of the next projects is to replace the deck boards, and build new railings/privacy walls. Two years ago we took the yard from this:

To this:

But, we didn't replace the deck boards at the time. We had already gone over budget on the project and this seemed like one of those things we could do ourselves that just didn't need to done all at once. But, here we are, two years later and they still look like this:

So, what's the problem? Well, our deck is about 16' long, and it would be best to put down 16' boards. And, we would only need about 15-20 boards. No big deal. The problem is getting the boards to the house. When we purchased our car, we (and by "we" I mean "me") failed to thoroughly check out it's hauling capability. We came to find out a week or so later that our trunk looked like this:

See that small door way in there? That little door allows you to put skis in your trunk. But, the seats don't fold down. So. . . no way 16' boards are fitting at all. Unless, I plan to have 12' hanging out of the trunk and I think DC police would have a small problem with that.

Next option? Delivery. Home Depot charges a flat fee of $75 for delivery. Which, just seemed a little annoying considering that would be about 25% of the material cost. Frager's (which, if you haven't been there, you should go) would charge $35.

Second option: Zipcar. Now, I've have my share of annoyances with Zipcar. But, you really can't beat the convenience. So, for about $12, I can rent an SUV or pick-up for an hour. Now, I understand that a 16' board is not going to fit in the 6' bed of a pick-up. But, I think we can figure out a way to get them in an SUV with a red flag hanging on the back.*

You can see how this simple project has been put off for so long. But, the goal is to finish it in the next few weeks - or, at least before it starts to snow.

*The last time I did this didn't work out so well. I was transporting a ladder back to the house (the ladder was bright red and was about 3 feet out of the trunk, but no flag on it) and a woman rear-ended me THREE times in a row at two stop signs. She kept hitting the ladder which would rock my car back and forth. I actually had to get out of the car and give her a clue . . .I'll admit it wasn't my finest moment. But, really? Who doesn't notice when they hit something with their car? I let it go the first time . . . but by the third time it was a teensy bit irritating.

Working with Contractors

2010-11-03T15:40:00.001-04:00

I think everyone feels a little bit uneasy allow a virtual stranger (unless you've worked with them on many projects) into your home to simultaneously break things and fix them. All the while leaving you wondering if the work is being done well and if your being robbed blind. Or, let's face it, if they are peeking in your medicine cabinet or judging you for not putting that plate in the dishwasher. Just me? OK then. In the past two weeks we've had a few guys in my house for different jobs or quotes. It got me thinking about how many times I've done that.

To date, DC Rowhouse has hired 15 different contractors (this doesn't include all the quotes and surveying work) of one variety or another to work on our precious abode. I have to tell you, it's exhausting. In the beginning I interviewed several general contractors so we wouldn't have to hassle with finding a different person each task (and sometimes it takes 3 people for one project), but they were all either odd or really expensive. What's really expensive, one guy quoted us $120k for all the work we wanted. Um, no thanks. So I try to do any work I can and contract out things that are harder (plumbing, electric, physically demanding labor that my poor weak muscles cannot handle). Even if this means there have been more work boots on our floors than one could count.

But, having someone doing work means that progress is being made. Or, so you hope, right? So, I'll leave you with that . . . the anticipation of what's to come next.

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T20:19:00.000-04:00

It really depends how halloween goes around these parts. We could get 30 kids, or 100 kids. We spent the day this year carving pumpkins, cooking, and waiting for little knocks on our door. Here are some photos from the day:

Happy Halloween!

Not a product I want

2010-10-29T13:13:00.000-04:00

Bed bug pillow?
Nothing like a nice reminder of a national infestation to give you sweet dreams. What's next, napkins printed with mad cows on them?

I've been busy...

2010-10-28T10:22:00.000-04:00

I know. I haven't been posting much. There are many projects on the horizon. In the meantime, I stopped to chat with Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa):

Could my smile be any bigger?

Katie's Dressing Room

2010-10-08T16:55:00.002-04:00

Since my friend Katie and her husband Jeremy just had thier offer accepted on a house (yay!), I've decided to start decorating it...mainly to avoid doing my own projects.

Katie's Dressing Room by dcrowhouse1 on Polyvore.com

Meg Ryan's Vineyard Home

2010-09-10T15:39:00.000-04:00

For the second summer in a row, we rented a house on Martha's Vineyard. This year, we were a little more adventurous and headed over to Chappaquiddick on our bikes. The only way to get to the small island (from the big island) is by Ferry. The Ferry takes about 2 minutes to cross the waterway and can hold 3 cars and about 15-20 passengers. It's tiny.

As we stepped off the ferry with our bikes, a petite blond hopped out of her car and headed to the ferry to go to the main island. She looked familiar. I recognized that little duck walk. It was Meg Ryan. As she passed me I whipped around and started pointed and mouthing "MEG RYAN, MEG RYAN" to our friends who tried like me to casually glance her way to confirm it. The real clincher was she stepped out of a black Mercedes SUV with California plates framed in "Beverly Hills Mercedes" text.

Lots of celebrities summer on Martha's Vineyard, but she is the first I'd seen. Later in the day I biked past Henry Louis Gates, Jr (who said "hi there" to me as we bikes past each other!), but he's hard to miss on his three wheel bike.

As it turns out, Elle Decor featured Meg Ryan's Vineyard house in the June 2010 edition. It looks amazing . . .

State of the Rowhouse

2010-09-09T14:25:00.000-04:00

It's coming up on 3 years since we've owned the house and I have to say I thought we'd be done by now. But, it seems it's never done. I've learned the hard way that living in a house and trying to renovate it at the same time is a huge task. Your life is spotted with construction dust, and projects seem like they are never finished.

In the next 6 months I'd like to wrap up the following:

- remodel the upstairs bathrooms
- re-paint the downstairs bathroom
- finish painting the living room (hopefully install a bar...)
- finish painting the fence
- new wood/railings for the deck
- landscaping

I know I'm missing things . . . there seems to be an endless list in my head. This weekend, landscaping should start. The front yard is looking ~~a tad lame~~ pretty disgusting and it needs to be tended to. I have about 9,567 decorating projects in my head, but those don't seem as important as say finally painting the walls in our living room.

All in good time. . .

Friday Cat Blogging

2010-09-03T14:48:00.001-04:00

I realize, I've been neglecting the blog. Will cute pictures of the cats make up for it?

Enjoying the fruits of labor

2010-07-19T06:58:00.003-04:00

Of the six tomato plants we grew this year, one of them lost it's marker and was a mystery variety. Until recently when beautiful yellow tomatoes arrived and made our tri-color tomato salad complete.

Comcast...I hate you

2010-07-15T09:17:00.000-04:00

I can't take it anymore. I realized yesterday that calling Comcast is actually unhealthy for me. Every single time I call someone tells me a different answer. Without fail. They have messed up our bill every single month, and when I call to ask questions, I get about 4 different answers. Yesterday when I called they said they overcharged us for internet and they would credit us $73.60 for the time period of the overcharge. Then I came home and they took away our movie channels. So I called back and recieved FOUR different prices for adding them back by FOUR different people. Five dollars, seven dollars, seventeen dollars, and fifteen dollars. When I asked the last person about the different prices he told me that everyone else was wrong. When I then asked how I knew he was the one with the right info...he essentially yelled at me. It's clear now this company makes up prices/promotions/rates. It's ridiculous.

It goes without saying we are looking into Direct TV.

Wal-mart moving to the District?

2010-07-06T09:05:00.001-04:00

Looks like there is a possibility of a Wal-mart coming to DC.

A rainbow I can get on board with

2010-07-01T08:48:00.001-04:00

The cherry tomatoes are coming in beautifully! The others aren't too bad either:

Dreaming of kitchen gardens

2010-06-30T09:59:00.000-04:00

At least twice a month I think about ripping out the grass in our small yard and planting a kitchen garden. But, then summer BBQs on the lawn, reading in the hammock and lawn bowling always win out. So, the grass stays. In the meantime, I can still dream about it.

here

Black bottomed love apples

2010-06-22T08:48:00.001-04:00

We are in love. With the tomato plants. Everyday is like Christmas - we bound out of the house shouting and pointing over who can find the latest flower or budding tomato on the plants. With six plants, this can take a little more time than I'd like to spend at 8:15am. But last week . . .I noticed that some of the precious plum tomatoes had a little brown to their bottom, a little sag in their sway, a little debbie to their downer.

At first I ignored it. Eh, they'll grow out of it, I thought. But, alas, this was not the case. Nine little love apples had to come down yesterday. . . victim to blossom-end rot. Too little calcium. . .and probably too little water.

Lonny June/July

2010-06-21T15:58:00.000-04:00

The new Lonny mag is up! At 219 pages. . .it's packed with ideas!

Catios?

2010-06-17T15:47:00.001-04:00

Indulge yourself : New York Times.

SATC2: Carrie & Big's Apartment

2010-06-15T10:22:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine said to me: "That movie made me feel bad about my life". While I can't say I felt the same way . . . I was drooling over everything in Carrie and Big's apartment. The decor is like a good record. At first it's just "meh", but after the second or third listen/look you just can't get enough. What I really loved, was that living room!

Oh, the rug!

But, alas, that rug costs an arm . . .and a leg! Then, my mind wandered to an article about Ali Wentworth and George Stephanopoulos' Georgetown home. . .and specifically THIER living room rug. Here it is:

The funny thing about this rug . . .she painted it herself! So, why couldn't anyone do that to create the look of the Marni Candy Rug that so wonderfully graces the floor in Carrie's apartment?

Hello Again

2010-06-14T15:02:00.000-04:00

I know. It's been awhile. What can I say? I've been "busy" doing anything but home improvements. It didn't help that we were home only 2 weekends in a 10 week span. Though, I'm feeling the itch again. A few weeks ago I went out to the front to trim the ivy in the front planters and ended up ripping it all out. In 90 degree weather. . . this was a little unpleasant. But, I was just so sick of it. It's overgrown, has 112 other plants/weeds growing in it and it just didn't look good. So. . .see ya ivy! Now, there is a big dirt mound. Not better looking than before, but progress is being made.

Anyway, The posting should be more often...and exciting!

No one needs this. Or, how to keep your face dirty.

2010-05-26T14:44:00.001-04:00

I've been roaming home stores on the internet lately. I don't "need" anything. . .so I just peruse all the new items trying to imagine if they would fit into DC Rowhouse in some way. Somethings are insane. Here is example number one:

This set of "spoon coffee mugs" can be found at CB2 for the random amount of $15.80. But, the description is the best part: "This clever, all-in-one design solves the eternal question of where to park your spoon post-stir." Let's think this through. First off . . .you're in a house using these (as you bought them at the store and brought them to your - or someone else's - abode), so there is most likely a sink nearby. I don't know about you guys, but I don't fret about where to put my dirty spoon once I stirred my coffee. . .I just put it in the sink/dishwasher/counter. Second, they "solve" this problem by having you put the dirty spoon in the handle where it sticks out and will most likely brush against your face each time you sip from the mug.

I think I'll stick with the old-fashion method.

Urban Gardening

2010-05-11T09:30:00.000-04:00

The past few years we have tried our hat at urban gardening (re: in containers on the deck). So far, it's been hit or miss. Last year, the pots were too small so we didn't get as nice of a harvest as we could have. This year . . . I think we are ready. Six large pots each with a different tomato plant. We have herbs and two pepper varieties scattered around also.

It's almost time to stake the tomatoes . . . they grow fast! Last year I used a horrible cage I got at the Home Depot, granted it probably wasn't for tomatoes, and it did not work. This year, I'm doing my research and I think I'm going to get the Ultomato. At around $8.50 from Ace Hardware it seems like a good idea. And, really, with a name like that. . .who wouldn't want one?

Birthdays and Bruises

2010-04-30T14:23:00.000-04:00

While I've been working to finish our bedroom, lots of activities have been getting in the way. I turned 30 and spend about a week ~~crying~~ celebrating, then it was time for Dan's birthday and I spent about 4 days ~~drinking~~ cooking for that. Since we have a new lovely kitchen, I decided I would prepare the mother of all meals for his birthday. I even made a little menu:

I was chef, server and diner all in one night! It was great, but the prep/clean-up was a little more than I bargained for. During this culinary adventure, I managed to drop a very large/very heavy metal spoon on my foot. It was one of these:

It left me with a large bruise and a painful gait. Long story short, I'm feeling a little lazy about finishing projects these days . . .

Neighborhood Sales

2010-04-27T16:05:00.000-04:00

The house at the end of our rowhouse strip (no idea what else to call this) had been vacant for years. The story is a few years ago a couple purchased it, gutted it, and ran out of money or whatever. Now, it has been fully renovated (it's pretty lovely inside) and it got an addition of about 600 square feet, so it's about 30% bigger than our house now. But, here's the deal...it's selling for 45% more than what we paid for our house. While I think ours has a little ways to go to match this new renovation (our bathrooms need a make-over!), things are looking up for the value of homes in the neighborhood!

Anybody else gone through this shift?

My fued with Comcast

2010-04-26T11:53:00.000-04:00

I think it's over. Well, at least Comcast corporate was attentive. They called me about 4 times (too bad I didn't have a phone then) and mailed a letter to my house. So, I e-mailed them back and. . .they credited my account for the install costs. Do I feel that was enought? Meh. . .I'm too exhausted for it not to be. Too bad I'm too lazy to switch services.

The Christmas Tree Shops

2010-04-21T09:45:00.000-04:00

If you don't know about The Christmas Tree Shops, allow me to be your tour guide. First, it's not "shops", as the title might allude to - it is one mega store. Think a bed bath and beyond size store - except at extremely deep discount. One just opened in Waldorf, and a few weeks ago I went.

Here are some of their treasures:

Do you recognize these glasses? Yup, they are the Calypso glasses from Crate and Barrel, and they are in stores right now! I know this, because I bought them in the store - for $4.95 a piece. So, you can save some dough be heading to The Christmas Tree Shops and buy them there.

I hope you enjoyed the tour, I know I did!

We're back in line!

2010-04-20T18:11:00.000-04:00

Well, it terms of the phone that is. It magically seems to have fixed itself. For now. Last week it worked for one day (the day before Comcast was suppose to come back so I cancelled the appointment) - then *poof* it was out again. Seriously, I have dreams about this phone issue. But, it's back again.

What I didn't mention before was that right before the phone went out we sent out invitations for a family party and were the point people for RSVPs. Yeah, not cool. But, this gave us the opportunity to learn to check our voicemail remotely, which was pretty helpful actually.

In the meantime, I have been spackling like a maniac. hopefully the bedroom make-over will be done soon!

Then they broke our phone.

2010-04-07T11:07:00.000-04:00

Well, the Comcast debaucle continues. Our phone doesn't work now. Another tech has to come out.

Good grief! If I have to talk to them one more time I am going to lose it!

Steal this look, for less: outdoor cafe chair

2010-04-06T11:03:00.000-04:00

Potterybarn Andros Cafe Chair $129

IKEA Lacko Chair $29.99

In my dreams: Vintage Beach House

2010-04-05T09:12:00.001-04:00

I'm always one season ahead. When spring rolled around this year I already began to think about summer. The beach. Margaritas. Lobster rolls. I saw a vintage fridge the other day and thought it would look fantastic in a beach cottage. Then, I began to think of other things I would want in a beach cottage: a farm table, jute rugs, vintage plates in different designs, colored dining chairs, soft throws.

What are your beach decor wishes?

Shower Curtain: Urban Outfitters
Fridge: Big Chill
Plates: Anthropologie
Farmhouse table: Unfinished Furniture Expo
Side Chairs: Crate and Barrel
Lamp: Crate and Barrel
Throw: Calypso
Rug: Potterybarn
Pillows: Restoration Hardware
Quilt: Anthropologie

More about the Comcast Horrorshow

2010-04-01T16:10:00.001-04:00

Last we left off it was Saturday afternoon and another Comcast guy was leaving without doing any work.

I think I should let you know that when I originally made the appointment for this work it was discussed this would be done at an hourly rate of $38 an hour and would probably take 2-3 hours for all the work to be done. Fine. No problem there. An electrician costs about $150 just to come to the house, so this seemed like a cheaper option.

OK, back to the story. So, it's Monday morning and rain is pouring down. Since the line needed to be moved in the back, I was ~~fearing~~ hoping they would cancel and I just go to work and be on my merry way. So, at 8am I called Comcast:

Me: Hi, I'm just checking on my scheduled appointment between 8-11 this morning.

Comcast: OK, one momemt.

Comcast: Ma'am, I don't see an appointment here.

Me: WHAT?!

Comcast: There is no scheduled appointment for today.

Me: So, they are not coming back? I made the appointment with the guy who came out on Saturday so I don't know if it's in the system or not since I didn't call to make it.

Comcast: If there is no scheduled appointment, they don't come out.

Me: Okkkkkaaaaay, what do I do then?

Comcast: I can send an e-mail to the local office and ask them to check on it.

Me: Can't you just call them.

Comcast: No, we can only e-mail and they e-mail us back, and I can call you back.

Me: They don't have a phone number?

Comcast: No, the local offices only take walk-ins, not calls.

Me: Well, I guess send the e-mail.

I'm sure you're shocked, but no one called me back. So around 10am I began calling the tech's cell number he gave me - straight to voice mail. Then, I called Comcast back. This time, someone told me the notes on my account said they would be out today but nothing was officially scheduled. At 10:30am I finally talked to the tech via his cell. He told me he was "getting his equipment together" and would leave for my house in 30 min. That was when he was suppose to be here, at the latest.

So, at 11:20am he arrived. With an annoyed tone he told me he could only do one of the three things I needed done today because of scheduling. The only thing he could do was the one I could have done myself. The two he couldn't" do just happened to be in the pouring rain. At this point, I didn't care.

After about an hour an a half he installed the cable upstairs, pulling it from downstairs through the wall (ie: a wallfish). During this process he stopped several times to ask me either to help him or if I had any of the materials he was "missing" like electrical tape, a flashlight, etc.

The moral of this story is: Comcast DOES do wallfish installations. However, do you yourself a favor and call an electrician if you need to.

State of the Rowhouse

2010-03-29T12:30:00.000-04:00

It has certainly been awhile, but things are ramping back up here at DC Rowhouse. Here's a sneak peek:

I can tell you, this project is kicking my ass. From planning to inception this thing has been a little bugger. From the photo you can see this is our bedroom. For some reason we finished the guest room first and left our room to linger. . . for years. So, it was time to do something. One of the pieces (the one I hoped to get done first) was the get cable upstairs. Now, I could have done it myself or called an electrician, but I needed to get the cable company out to move the line in the back so I figured I'd have them do the whole job. This has been the worst contracting experience by far.

Let me start from the beginning. A month ago, I called Comcast (our horrible cable provider) to schedule a call for a custom installation. I explained on the phone exactly what I wanted. After being put on hold from no less than six times so the Comcast operator could ask his manager questions, they scheduled a call. I made the appointment far in advance for March 20th. On March 20th, the installer called me early in the morning to inquire about what I wanted. I explained and he said, "yeah, I don't do that". He still showed up for the appointment and told me I needed a custom installation appointment. With more than annoyance in my voice, I explained that is exactly what I booked. Well, apparently they made a mistake. Four calls later and I was set up for an appointment for the 26th, because they wouldn't do custom installs on the weekend. Fine. I just wanted to get it done.

The 26th was Friday. They were suppose to come first thing in the morning. By 2pm, no one had showed so I phoned in to them to inquire. "oh", the operator said, "you're scheduled for tomorrow between 11 and 2". WHAT?! Even when I called comcast the automated line told me I was schedule for the 26th, the operator said the 27th. She said she would check and call me back. She never called. Fuming, I waiting impatiently for someone to show on Saturday, the 27th. At 1:30pm, they finally arrived. I showed him what I wanted to get done. After hemming and hawing he asked me when I would like to make the appointment. Um, what? This IS the appointment I replied. No, no he said, he was out to do a survey of the site only, and would have to come back. The level of rage I now had was unhealthy.

I could spend 2-3 paragraphs on the idiotic conversation I had with Comcast guy #2, but it wouldn't provide any good. Simply put, this guy was rude and apparently a Comcast contractor.

I'll fill you in on the rest of the story when it happens.

Notes of Spring

2010-03-26T11:48:00.001-04:00

Last week, when the temps rose above 70 on the first day of Spring, it was time to add some some color to DC Rowhouse. Since today is rainy in much of the northeast, here are some photos of Spring decor I added to cheer up my spaces:

So, the bird thing. . . yeah, it happened

2010-03-22T09:00:00.004-04:00

So, after the blizzards of 2010 everything went a little haywire. As mentioned before, snow madness resulted with a bird in our house.

The morning of, I woke to a tap-tap-tapping coming from the ceiling. It sounded. . . big. There was something in the attic. At pre-7am, this is just not something you want to deal with. I did the first thing that came to mind, panicked. Then, I called a trapping company to come and get this HUGE animal out of my attic. The guy on the phone said they would be over early afternoon and I felt slightly more at ease. I went along with the rest of my day on the first floor - staying as far away from the roaming beast in the attic.

At 10am, I went to the kitchen to make a delicious snack of an english muffin with peanut butter. Sounds good, right? I thought it would be too. So, there I am, waiting impatiently for my english muffin to toast to the crispness I desire. Then, I heard the tweeting. Oh, how lovely, I thought. Birds are finally coming back after the storm. Overall, I was having a pleasant morning. Until, the tweeting became a little louder. . .and out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move.

Then a bird flew at my head. Straight at my eyes. Inside. Indoors. In my kitchen.

Next, came the screaming.

Here are some very shaky blurry photos I took of the little devil while screaming at the top of my lungs (it's like Where's Waldo, bird edition):

After about 15 minutes of the bird flying around the house and me yelling things like "THIS IS NOT A PARK", and "PLEASE LEAVE SIR", I coaxed the bird out the back door.

The trapper-guy showed later and patched up the small hole in the roof (which was a tiny sliver under some moulding or something the bird squeezed in) with some thick steel. I guess sparrows need very small spaces to squeeze in, and with the cold conditions it wasn't so unlikely.

I'll never make an english muffin the same way again.

Curtain Confession

2010-03-10T12:24:00.000-05:00

We have yet to put proper curtains in our bedroom. It's a sad state of affairs in that room. I'm obsessing over these from Crate and Barrel. But, we would need 3 pairs, which would be over $550. I think that's a little much for curtains . . . don't you?

A bird in the hand

2010-03-03T09:35:00.000-05:00

I know, I haven't been posting that much lately. Life at DC Rowhouse has been a little chaotic.

First, we had the snowstorm to deal with. Scratch that, snowstorms. . .plural. Then, a sparrow snuck it's way into the house. More on that later. Follow that up with a whopper of a flat tire and the news we needed 4 new ones. . .and you can see why the wind has been removed from my sails, and the cash from our savings.

I think I'm making some progress on plans for the upstairs. Choosing a sink for a closet-size bathroom is more time consuming than I thought. So, hang in there. . .I promise good things on the horizon.

Fallen Wires

2010-02-16T16:50:00.005-05:00

Thanks to a comment left by a lovely reader on a previous post complaining of the fallen wires in my yard/deck I went ahead and called Comcast to see if they could fix it. It was Saturday afternoon and when the delightful woman on the phone said "How's Monday?" I was pleased as punch.

On Monday, when the technician showed up 15 minutes earlier than the window of time he was suppose to, I was even happier. After that, things took an ugly turn.

Thick layers of ice blocked us from getting to where we needed to go. So, it was safety-goggles and hammers for a while. Have you ever had a piece of ice fly into your eye. Let me tell you . . . it's unpleasant. When will I learn to where the goggles BEFORE I get hurt? Someday, I hope. After getting out some frustration, the cable guy informs us the wires are phone and cable. He'll fix the cable, but we'll have to call Verizon. This is when the puppy-dog-eyes came out, and the stumbling of phrases began:

"But, we don't have an account with V-V-V-Verizon, we get our phone through you now."

"Can't you just do it for us p-p-p-p-please?"

"PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEE?"

He finally did it. I really think he just felt bad for us. I also think he might have felt a little threatened by our dismay. It took him about 4 seconds. The amount of time it takes for you to climb a ladder five rungs - that's how long it took.

The wires, however, are still droopy. But, that'll have to wait until Spring to be fixed.

Snomageddon Continues

2010-02-10T12:57:00.010-05:00

Last night, as the snow fell steady and winds began to pick-up, our power surged. I actually felt my heart stop. It was around 8:55pm, five minutes before LOST was to begin. Oh the horror!

This morning, as I opened my eyes, I heard silence. No howling winds. No ice pelting the house.

But the view out the windows provided a different story. The visibility was limited, and the panes were coated with snow and ice.

Apparently, this guy finds this weather a good day for a jog! In a long-sleeve t-shirt I might add! T-shirt! Good grief.

By the afternoon, I had still not seen a plow come by our street. With 10 inches (at least!) being reported of fresh snow, the streets are terrible. Apparently, DC pulled the plows off the road at 9:30am this morning. So, without plows out all day it's going to take a while to clean this mess!

The pile on our deck is the height of a paper grocery bag (you can see my very scientific measuring tool below) at it's lowest level and as high as the back of a chair at the high end.

The windows are not completely covered in snow, so in order to take more photos of the snow destruction I'd have to go outside.

But, since I have this. . .

and these. . .

I'll be staying in for a while longer.

No calm before this storm.

2010-02-09T20:00:00.000-05:00

With the threat of more snow, I longed to get out of the house. Seeing my neighbors sedan had made it to the grocery store and back I grabbed my shovel and headed to the car. Dreams of browsing Target's aisle and filling my cart with things to entertain me danced in my head.

I started the car. Step one complete.

Pulling out of the parking spot seemed easy. Then, the slipping and sliding started, but it was still OK. I was about to shout with joy until I was about the round the corner to head out into the alleyway to the street. Stopped. A huge pick-up was pulling in. So, I threw it in reverse and backed the car into the parking spot. I waited. Why weren't they pulling in? Oh, they were stuck. So, I grabbed my shovel and asked if they needed help. They were grateful.

An hour later. . . we got the pick-up out. An HOUR.

Tired and frustrated, I went back inside. Well, maybe I'll get to drive to a store by next week.

By 4:3pm, the snow had started.

*Hard to see, but the flurries just started flying in the picture above.

The 5pm reported on roofs collapsing in my neighborhood. Super. I watched a neighbor shovel his roof today and thought about doing the same. But, climbing up to a slanted roof covered in ice isn't my cup-o-tea.

I watched two snowplows come by today, about 30 minutes apart. Unfortunately, the street is so packed with ice they did little damage to it.

At 6:30pm we (I should mention Dan had been stuck in California until late Tuesday night - so I'm happy to have someone to share the days - and shoveling - with) walked to the store to stock up on a few things. In the fifteen minutes we were out we accumulated about 1/2 inch on the ground. This is not looking good people.

With two snow days already this week, it looks likely I'm in for a third.

Installing a 3-way Dimmer Switch

2010-02-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'd had this dimmer switch laying around for quite some time. Mainly, because I wasn't sure how to install it. I opened the box, and saw this:

Two red wires, one green and one black. OK. Fine. I just had to look up which connected to the existing wires in the box.

So, this is how you do it.

Cut the power at the circuit box!!!

Take your cover plate of the existing switch:

Next, remove the screws on the top and bottom to loosen it so you can get to the wires in the back. Pull the unit out a little bit to help you see.

Remove the existing switch by removing the screws and taking the wires out.

Attach the new dimmer wires to the existing wires by twisting on those red caps that came with the new dimmer.

Black wire connects to black wire. Red to red. Other red to white, and the green wire is your grounder so that connects to the copper wire. It will end up looking like this:

Next, jam all the wires back into the outlet box and screw the new plate in. Yes, "jam" is a very technical term. It might take a little fidgeting to do this - take your time.

Add the top cover plate. Step back and look at your work. Pat yourself on the back.

Turn the electric back on and test the switch (make sure the "dimmer bar is all the way up at first so the light turns on). Oooh and Aaah over your talents.

You may need to touch up the paint around the new cover plate.

Tada! I heart dimmer switches.

Mother-nature decided to upgrade us

2010-02-08T15:28:00.002-05:00

This is one situation you don't want an upgrade. Snow amount for tomorrow/Wednesday has been increased to 10-20". Really? Really!!! Was I bad?

Today I ventured out, walking a mile to the grocery store. It was nice to see all the people working to clean up the snow, but disheartening to see so many streets had not been touched by plows.

Oh, and I'm assuming the electric wires dipping in my yard and strewn across the deck railings will remain that way until. . . April.

Prepping for Round Two

2010-02-08T08:08:00.004-05:00

We are setting up for round 2 on Tuesday into Wednesday with 5-10 inches coming back to DC. I have no idea where we can put this snow! I ran out of room digging out the car yesterday, I can't imagine how I would handle 10 additional inches. . .even 5.

Snow-pocalypse 2010 Day 3

2010-02-07T17:18:00.006-05:00

Still no word from Pepco about when they will come and fix the hanging wires. Since some people are still without power, I'm pretty sure I'm low on the list.

My big accomplishment today? Spending two hours digging out the car. That ergonomic shovel has certainly earned its keep.

Snow-pocalypse 2010 Day 2: Part 2

2010-02-06T13:16:00.008-05:00

12:00pm: Still snowing.

1:30pm: Yep, still snowing. Cars begin to disappear on the street (one you can gauge by the windshield wipers they left up that are sticking out):

4:30pm: Decide to head out and shovel again while it's still daylight. Watch some workers in a pick-up truck struggle to get up the street (which hasn't been plowed in quite sometime and must have 4-6 inches on it, and that's on the other drivers tracks). Running out of places to put the snow.

5:30pm: I do believe the snow has stopped.

Snow-pocalypse 2010 Day 2 Part 1

2010-02-06T10:15:00.005-05:00

12:30am: Notice the power wires have fallen more.

1:00am: Off to bed. Worry the wires will snap and deck will catch fire. Fall asleep in 10 minutes anyway.

7am: Woke-up, thankful the power is still on. Make coffee! Notice wires in the back make it impossible to go out the back door.

9am: Head out to shovel the front. There was about another 12 to 18 inches on the front steps. Since I had already shoveled 6 inches last night - it was surprising. The steps had become slides and the snow was still very heavy.

10:30am: Back to watching the news. Still no word from Pepco about the wires. Figure they won't come out for days.

Snow-pocalypse 2010

2010-02-05T11:11:00.022-05:00

7am: Drove to four stores looking for self-starting fire logs because we ran out of wood. All sold out. Skies are gray and looming.

8am: Went to local grocery store, mainly because I sensed I had to, though I didn't need anything. Bought two yogurts and eggs. Felt accomplished.

8:15am: Treated myself to a latte at Peregrine.

8:45am: Started working at home. Dylan & Nina helped.

10:30am: Snow started.

11:30am: National Weather Service increases snow prediction from 18-24 inches to 20-28 inches. (December 19th storm was 16.4", and on a Friday night as well. My office was still closed on Monday).

11:31am: For a reference point, I measure how high 28 inches is. It's past my mid-thigh. My heart beat a little faster.

Noon: Went to corner store. Bought 5 self-starting firelogs. Owner told me they have 9 more cases in the basement. Felt relief I would not freeze to death if power went out. He also mentions not being able to get milk this morning, all distributors are sold out.

12:15am: Turned on the news. Weather guy reports 20" minimum, and says there is potential for 33". It's reported the most the District ever received is 26.5". I measure 33". . .it's about 4 inches below my hip. Sweet baby Jesus.

12:45am: News guy reports DC will not pick up recycling this week, and only trash from the front of the house. Reporters from grocery stores show empty shelves and shoppers waiting in line for hours to either pay or even get into the store. Blizzard + Superbowl weekend = grocery store mayhem.

2pm: Snow started sticking. It's being reports the Metro system will close above-ground stops when the accumulation reached 8 inches.

3pm: Scared to lose power overnight. Start dishwasher and toss a load of laundry in.

5pm: Cleaned out the fridge and took all trash out. Don't want to be stuck in a stinky home. Thankful I bought so much beer earlier in the week. So far, about an inch has accumulated.

7pm: About 2-3 inches

8:30pm: 5-6 inches

8:45pm: Head outside and shovel. Snow is incredibly dense. I work up a sweat. Hear branches crackling. Not a good sign.

9:10pm: Notice the electric wires are down in the back of the house. Call Pepco emergency line. On hold for 20 minutes. They tell me they'll send someone. . . but have no idea when. Now, I have to wait up for them. (the drooping wires in the picture usually are about 15 feet higher than that.)

9:30pm: Hang up with Pepco. Hear very loud crackle. Look out the front and see a 15 foot branch has fallen across the street. Sense losing power is imminent. The "fun" of the storm is gone.

Winter Blizzard 2010

2010-02-05T09:29:00.004-05:00

DC does not handle snow well. Six inches could warrant school closings and a run on the grocery stores. So when the weather reports started coming in yesterday announcing 18 to 24 inches from Friday afternoon until Saturday night - it was like the Apocalypse was coming. Lines of cars into the Whole Foods near my office stretched blocks away last night with people gearing up for the big storm.

This morning, I woke early and headed to four stores in search for Duraflame logs or wood. No dice. All sold out. The lines at Home Depot were clustered around stacks and stacks of snow blowers while workers wheeled out more on carts from the back. As I milled around the store looking for hidden stacks of wood (a worker finally told me they had been sold out for over a month!), I saw this:

So cute! What a great gift idea! With the snow-pocalypse about to fall, it wasn't the time for tulips, but it was tempting, very tempting.

My camera and I are ready for Blizzard 2010. . . but I'm not sure the rest of the District is.

I forgot about early mornings

2010-02-01T10:50:00.002-05:00

A few months ago, I noticed one of the lines on our range LCD display wasn't showing. So, and 8 would look like a 3. Grrrr. Doing what I normally do, I put it off. Until two weeks ago where I called Sears and in 15 minutes my part was ordered and I had a visit scheduled. Well, that was easier that I thought. Then, I did that other thing I do. . . I forgot about it.

So, when at 7:30am on Saturday the phone rang, we both jumped up and assumed something bad had happened. Since it was 7:30am on a Saturday and who in their right mind would be calling! The repair guy, that's who. See, I made the appointment for between 8am-12pm. But, that always means 11:45am-ish, right? Apparently not.

We were back to the days of having workers in the house before the recommended dose of morning coffee and that always end up a bad start to the day.

I'm gathering more information for the bathroom remodels and some other odds and ends. Looks like we might have a finished house by the end of this year. Did I just jinx us? Probably. Damn it!

Just another day of renovating

2010-01-19T09:32:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I finally got back to working on the side of the stairs. I've been back and forth on this project for oh. . . almost two years now. TWO YEARS! I thought back in December of 2007, that this little reno project would all take a year and I would sitting back and sipping martinis in my new-shiny-not-covered-in-construction-dust house. I'll admit it. . . I was wrong. So young, so joyful, so stupid.

Anyway, last night (after I spent about 20 minutes caulking the side of the stairs in an attempt to FINALLY finish the damn project and get on with other ones) I was heaping ice cream into a bowl and I looked down at a white glob on my finger.

Is it ice cream? Or caulking? . . . Do I lick it? Would it kill me if it wasn't ice cream? OMG, what if it's glue? Did I just get glue into my ice cream?

In the end, I licked it. . . it was ice cream.

And, the stairs are not done yet.

Plans for Master Bath

2010-01-06T10:19:00.005-05:00

We have a unique problem in the master bath. The toilet is in a weird corner near the sink.

So, while we could put in a new sink vanity instead of the pedestal, you couldn't get to the toilet easily. Then, yesterday, I saw this:

Wow. Storage, a rounded base. It has everything I need. Except, it's $700, not including the faucet and the storage cabinets underneath. But, do you think I could make it? Using a half round console table and adding the marble top? Or, would that just end up being too much time and effort and cost the same in the end?

Trends for 2010

2010-01-04T09:00:00.003-05:00

With the kitchen renovation pretty much done, it's time for some decorating aspects. Heck, we could use some in the bedrooms too!

Here are my favorites for the 2010 Spring Previews of Potterybarn and West Elm:

Small Villa Footed Bowl ($20)

Sparrow Doormat ($29)

Chancellor Snack Bowl ($15)

Vintage wood bowls ($39-48)

Diamond Headboard ($349-479)

Sweep Armchair ($599)

Recycled-Glass Vases ($9.00 - $39.00)

Saying Sayonara to 2009

2009-12-31T13:36:00.002-05:00

Well, that's it for 2009. DC Rowhouse took a wild ride, and came out a little better in the end I think.

We started things right by refinancing and saving $400 per month! Where is that money going? I have no idea! But, paying the mortgage sure is a lot nicer each month.

Then, it seems it took from March to October to get the kitchen done. Yikes! Well, it was worth it. Lots of planning and maybe 6 weeks of actual physical work to get the kitchen from drab to fab. Not too shabby.

Since we haven't been working on too many projects since the kitchen drained us of funds, it's time to look forward to all that will be in 2010.

Cheers to you all! Happy New Year! See you for more projects in 2010!

When contractors steal

2009-12-17T09:39:00.002-05:00

I can imagine being a contractor is hard. Coordinating with all types of moving parts and people can be a hassle. But, it's never an excuse to steal someones deposit and vanish.

Check out Bunny's story here.

Get Ready to Rumble

2009-12-16T11:29:00.002-05:00

If you're like me, you don't have that much space to store tools. The big pieces get put into the storage area under the stairs and then I keep a basket handy of handy tools, like a hammer, measuring tape, an allen wrench set, and one of those flip around screw drivers. Its convenient and those are the things I use most often anyway.

A week of two ago, I bought a console table at IKEA (which I love and will give it's own post soon when we finally finish putting the dining/living are together). I pride myself on putting IKEA furniture together. That might not be something people want to put down on their "plus" list, but I am good at it. Do I need written instructions? No sir, I do not. Hand my that paper with the little guy pointing to things and I'm good to go. Sure the pieces are labeled only by their serial number. No problemo. In fact, I would do it for fun. Now, this particular piece needed a socket wrench, which I had. But, man, those are little pains in the behind, huh? Maybe it's just me, but jamming those little pieces back in the box always take a little more muscle than it should.

When some good folks offered to send me the Black and Decker Ready Wrench, I was thrilled. It's more substantial than it looks and has 16 of the most common sizes. It makes a great addition to my handy tool set, as it takes up little space. Certainly, for city living folks like me the Ready Wrench is a great buy at $29.99. And, you can pick it up at your local Target. Looking for a gift? Give this a spin, I'm sure they'll love it. It's pretty fun to spin the ends around too. Not like I used it to pretend I was twirling a baton or anything. . .

*I was sent this product free of charge, however I was not paid for writing a review. This review was written in my own words.

December's Lonny

2009-12-10T10:27:00.004-05:00

Lonny mag is back with a new issue! Enoy all the eye candy here.

Housed dressed for the Holidays

2009-12-08T09:00:00.001-05:00

The wreaths are up and in action! In one week it turned from a balmy 65 degrees when I was hanging them to snowy and bitter outside to enjoy them. Turned out to work in my favor.

I ended up not getting a Christmas tree for inside. For many reason (the biggest one is we have no room for it!) it just wouldn't work for us this year. Speaking of years. . . this one's almost over! While we have a few more small projects for 2009, the list for 2010 is building!

So, what do we have on tap? Well, DC Rowhouse will move up to the upper level for some quick upgrades. The closet doors need some work, the walls need paint, and the bathrooms are due for an upgrade. The bathrooms are the biggest pickle. While I'd like to take it down to the studs and add some skylights, I'm just not sure it's in the budget. If not, we'll add some new lesser expensive upgrades to give them both the face lift they deserve. In fact, I already have the chandelier for my bathroom waiting. Chandelier? With ceilings over 9 feet, I figured nothing would be better than a crystal chandelier for my bathroom.

With only a short time left in 2009, it's time to make some serious plans for the upstairs. But, like most of my renovation plans . . . they're bound to change.

Wreath Success!

2009-12-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

I successfully purchased 6 wreaths on Black Friday to fill every window in the front of the house. I have been obsessed with being able to do this for years. But, I couldn't justify spending $120 on wreaths. Now, for less than $50, I was able to accomplish that very small decorating dream.

It took until Sunday to hang them. By then, it was 65 degrees. While hanging fresh green wreaths in a tank top didn't get me in the holiday spirit, watching my house transform into a glowing beacon of Christmas sure did! Now, we can sit in the living room with the two wreaths in view...and no needles to clean up. Oh the joy!

I've been trying to get a photo, but this whole dark and rainy thing has been messing with me...

Dewalt Impact Driver

2009-11-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

I received this kit in the beginning of October to test out. Yes, by received I mean they gave it to me. Still reading? Or are you so jealous you are smashing your fits on the desk. Still here? Great. Don't worry, my Dad feels the same way. He tries to work into every conversation I have with him that I should give it to him to test out . . . because like, he gave me life and stuff. Whatever, we're talking DeWalt here. No dice. Though I admit, it took me a little time to figure out how to put this puppy to the test. I mean, what does a homeowner really need to use an impact driver for? I was wrong, there are lots of stuff.

The first test was trying to take the disgusting blind out of the kitchen window. I couldn't get the screw out with a regular screw driver (too tight) and the angle was too much for my cordless drill. I knew now I could finally use the impact driver. New tool kits are like Christmas morning and I ripped it open as such. From the beginning, I have to say the tools and accessories are packed really nicely. The cases are built tough and unlike the other drill and accessories I had, the cases do not have a snap closure, they either slide to lock or use a latch system.

Along with the kit, I received the Impact Ready accessories. What I was most excited about was the magnetic pivot bit holder. So I set the pieces together to tackle the old blind. It worked effortlessly and the driver has a small flashlight at the end so it illuminates what you are working on. I don't know about you, but guessing on where the screw is, it a huge annoyance. I didn't notice the light before, but when it started working, it was a great feature.

My next turn with the impact driver was removing and adding baseboards (more on that later). The studs in the house are metal, and the baseboards were screwed into the studs. Impact driver to the rescue! Like waving a magic wand, it made short work of the tough screws. The impact ready accessories are also built for, well, impact. The drill bits are apparently 5x stronger than a standard bit.

Next up, figuring out how I can use those hole saws. You know you like something when you make up projects to use it with.

On the House: Purdy your place WINNER!!

2009-11-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

Congratulations KATY! You won! E-mail me at dcrowhouse@gmail.com to claim your prize!

Thank you to everyone who participated! Check back for more upcoming giveaways to come.

Black Friday

2009-11-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

I love shopping. I love shopping for my house more. Now, I've done the whole wake up at 3am and run out to the stores on Black Friday thing. It's nuts. There is the constant feeling of impending doom (like, from being trampled), and you're so tired and cranky by the end the whole day is ruined.

This year, I am after a certain item. The wreaths from Lowe's. They are having the 23" wreaths marked down to $7.97! Which means, I can fulfill my dream of a wreath in every front window and the door (six in all) for under $50! I know. . . i dream big.

They also have Christmas trees for under $20. Here, I face a dilemma. I love me a Christmas tree, don't get me wrong. But, there is something about this beautiful tree that has grown for so many years (sometimes decades!) that is chopped down and then thrown out a few weeks later. Am I alone in this? The trees are farmed, and really what's the real difference in having a Christmas tree and eating broccoli (that was alive too). So, I'm on the fence.

Want to see more of the Lowe's ad? It's up on their site.

Don't forget to sign up for the Purdy giveaway! It ends today!

On the House: Purdy your place

2009-11-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

It just so happened Sherwin Williams contacted me about reviewing Purdy products a week or so before we were to paint the kitchen. They even agreed to sweeten the deal by throwing in a pack for my beloved readers!

What can I say about the Purdy brush and roller? While I'm not a painting tools connoisseur, they seems A-OK to me. Easy to use, and easy to clean. What more can you ask for? Oh, one of your own to try? Sure thing! Just leave a comment by Wednesday November 18th, at 5pm EST with the words "Make me Purdy". I'll choose a winner using random.org and announce it on the morning of Thursday November 19th.

Good Luck!

Look a likes

2009-11-12T09:59:00.004-05:00

I just came back from a work conference in Boston (which explains the lack of posts), and one evening I strolled Newbury street stopping in the fabulous shops along the way. I stumbled across Jonathan Adler's shop (he has a shop? Oh yes hunny, he does). Most of it was way too modern for my house, and it was all way too expensive, but I loved every minute of being in that store.

My favorite item was the bronze place card holders. In the store (as online) the held cards with the names of Brangelina's kids. It made me giggle and loved them even more for it. Alas, their price of $28 smackaroos a piece made them stay in the store.

When I got back home to DC Rowhouse, a pile of Holiday catalogues awaited me. I spotted something familiar:

It seems West Elm has taken a liking to the bronze modern animals as well. These bookends run $26 bucks a piece. Of course, I want them all but I'm not quite sure DC Rowhouse is the right habitat...

Souk Review

2009-11-03T08:21:00.002-05:00

We made it to Souk this weekend. . . well, twice. The first attempt was on Friday and my hunger pains and the huge line made us head to the Argonaut instead for a burger. On Saturday, we made it in. I have to say, with the small space they have, the folks at Souk really made it shine. The colorful walls and tile really add a lot to the space and the overall simple and clean decor make it a welcoming place. At this point, I am into any renovation, and this little commercial rowhouse was done very well.

Now, the food. The deal here is that you order at the counter, and you take a number to your table. When the food is ready, they bring it to you at your table. You help yourself to the silverware and glasses, but they clear your table for you. Real plates, and real silverware were a welcome sight. I always think about all the trash when places use disposable dinnerware.

Sidetrack: have you see the show "18 and counting..." with the Duggars? They have 18 kids and they use paper plates and utensils at every meal! Yikes!

I was pleasantly surprised they delivered the order in the appropriate courses. Hummus came out first, followed by the Lebanese salad, then the chicken shawarma and lamb chops. The hummus was delicious, the salad was great (though I assume the beets were from a can - but seriously, who cares they have a tiny tiny kitchen), and the entrees were good (though a little overdone and came with different sides than advertised). All in all, it was their first week, they did fantastic! One of the women working there came over after we had finished to ask if everything went well - that's always a nice touch. Oh, and the prices are great! Where in the city can you get an salad (enough for two people) with arugula, beets, pine nuts, and pomegranate seeds for $6? Nowhere.

We decided after our meal we will probably be eating there twice a week. Unless the line is too long, I expect this place to do a killing!

Souk is located at 1208 H Street NE.

Urban Turf

2009-11-02T12:07:00.002-05:00

Urban Turf wrote a piece on me...it's up today! Check it out here.